Smart cities—cities that are progressive in adopting up-and-coming technologies—are expected to disrupt the tech industry in 2020. By implementing more Internet of Things (IoT) technology, smarter cities will run more efficiently, be more cost-effective, and much safer.
With cities like New York and Boston implementing technology like automated driving and 5G into their cities, the US continually keeps itself at the forefront of the tech scene. But of all the states hopping on the bandwagon, Texas leads the charge in smart city tech. Of the twenty-three (and growing) smart cities in the US, six are Texan.
For example, Dallas is a top leader in the country for implementing smarter water systems, smarter buildings and 600 unique technology solutions. Meanwhile Austin operates on a smart grid, meaning it powers its city via electricity. Between other forward-thinking cities like Arlington, Fort Worth, and Plano, Texas is scoring points for the high volume of technological advancements its cities are implementing.
To understand the components that make up smart cities, here are three elements worth discussing:
Autonomous vehicle technology
Autonomous vehicles and connected cars represent another word for self-driving cars. Autonomous cars were designed to reduce traffic, increase safety, cut down on emissions (since they’re electric), and free up time for its users to do other things while commuting.
As one of the top cities in the country in the smart category for connected vehicles, Arlington is taking major strides to implement this technology into its communities. Arlington is one of the largest US cities without a public transit system. As such, its traffic is extremely congested. To combat this, the city has started partnering with private ride-share companies to implement a series of fare-free public shuttles.
In Austin and Frisco, too, there’s talk of launching a car-sharing program to mitigate similar problems. And in Dallas, the city has partnered with Uber, specifically, to provide discounted or free rides in various service zones that lack public transportation.
Early-detection technology
Early-detection technology was created to detect emergency situations, such as floods, fires, and gas leaks. Instead of sending out mechanics or engineers to inspect gas leaks or internal piping problems, early-detection technology can find the answer quickly, inspect for further damage, then delegate what needs to be done to fix it.
To predict the health and lifespan of pipes, Arlington has implemented sensor-laden robots that scan the city’s sewer systems. With this new system, cities can better evaluate its sewer lines without having to replace entire lines altogether. Houston has also recently deployed these robots too.
5G technology
Although still in its early stages, 5G technology is at the forefront of all smart city technology—and everybody’s trying to get their hands on it. Every major phone carrier is currently working on rolling it out in as many cities as possible. Austin, Dallas, Waco, and Houston are among the list of cities that currently have 5G capabilities.
Texas currently has the most cities with 5G of any US state. With 5G capabilities, smartphone users will experience speeds one hundred times faster than 4G. Plus, they’ll be able to connect with more devices at once without 4G’s consequential lag.
There’s a myriad of reasons why smart city technology is so important; it reduces crime, cuts down on greenhouse gases, and makes our lives easier and more efficient. But above all, it provides a sustainable future.
Resource depletion, increasing congestion in urban areas, and population growth are major problems cities face. But thanks to smart city technology, cities no longer have to rely on traditional resources. By going digital, cities eliminate the need to rely solely on gas, and its network of systems become faster, sharper, and more accurate.
The faster we build communities, the higher the population grows, and the more waste we output, the heavier the toll on the environment. The more we lean into sustainable technology, the better we’ll be able to solve current problems and anticipate future issues as well.
About the Author: Bailey Caldwell is a freelance journalist whose work focuses on all things tech, cybersecurity, and internet. She enjoys researching and learning about new resources and technologies.
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Edited by
Ken Briodagh
