Smart Cities

• [New] In terms of smart cities, the first PINNs, scheduled to come online in the second quarter of 2021, will enable better traffic management, autonomous cars, drones that respond to 911 calls, and automated road and bridge inspections.
• [New] With the emerging 5G technology, autonomous driving will revolutionize the experience of transport and help Hong Kong evolve into a world-class smart city.
• [New] The digital yuan is expected to be central to China's smart city ambitions, which would see entire cities made cashless in the coming years.
• [New] Over the next three years, the technologies posting the largest increases in investment will be digital twins (+164%), 3-D printing (+125%), augmented reality/virtual reality, and data warehouses.
• [New] Smart city technology could be used to improve tourism, guiding visitors to area attractions and businesses.
• Now with input from the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance, Indian cities will have access to the world's foremost expertise in smart city policy-making.
• Global emerging technologies in smart cities market will reach $6,580.8 billion by 2030, growing by 28.3% annually over 2020-2030 owing to growing urbanization & government initiatives, fast development of smart cities, and emerging technological advancements.
• The development of smart infrastructure and increasing demand for private 5G networks can provide major business opportunities in the global Teleradiology Software market.
• The digital yuan is expected to play an important role in China's smart city plans, which will see whole cities go cashless in the coming years.
• The inclusion of AI chipsets in security cameras in smart cities will become a norm, with over 65% of cameras shipped in 2025 expected to come with at least one AI chipset.
• Over the next three years, the technologies posting the largest increases in investment will be digital twins (+164%), 3D printing (+125%), augmented reality/virtual reality, and data warehouses.
• Initiatives like the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance seem to be leading the way in pioneering global policies that will allow for the ethical and responsible use of data and technology.
• Investment in smart city technologies is expected to reach $327 billion by 2025 (from $96 billion in 2019), according to 2020 research by consulting firm Frost & Sullivan.
• Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will invest nearly USD 50 billion in smart city projects through 2025, with many smart city projects placing a distinct focus on enhancing mobility for residents.
• The city of Chongqing with 30 million residents plans to be a leader in smart city technology powered by 5G networks.
• The Startup Pavilion, supported by 'Startup India,' will feature over 35 startups across various segments of ICT and Smart Cities technologies, bringing to light new innovations in 2021, and promoting the Government of India's initiative of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• Government initiatives towards energy efficiency and smart cities are expected to further spur the growth of the intelligent homes market in the Middle East in the coming years.
• In 2022 the African Union launched MI5-city, a new guideline to encourage national governments to upscale their urban development plans, improve human conditions and promote urban smart growth with a bottom-up participatory process.
• Just to put things into perspective, spending on smart cities reached $105 Bln in 2019, and smart home systems are expected to amount to $157 Bln by 2023.
• China will continue to focus on digitisation and digital infrastructure, including 5G, smart cities and the Internet of Things applications for manufacturing.
• Smart cities will see a dramatic change over the next few years, as a new way of rolling out low power wide area wireless networks (LPWAN) takes effect.
• Vaccines could feature in the US-China competition over global standards, which already encompasses artificial intelligence, smart cities and lithium batteries.

Last updated: 18 April 2021