Singapore is the smartest city in the world: study

They are most advanced in integrating Internet of Things (IoT) in mobility, healthcare, and public safety.

Singapore is the best performing smart city globally ahead of London, New York, San Francisco, and Seoul, according to a study by technology company Juniper Research.

The concept of smart city involves the use of IoT technologies such as connected sensors, metres and lights to collect and analyse data to improve public infrastructure and services. As such, the study rank top 20 global smart cities against four key areas: mobility, healthcare, public safety, and productivity.

The study showed that Singapore topped all the four areas. It noted that the country’s ‘Smart Nation’ initiative and its position as a city-state makes it unique in its ability to execute its smart city vision.

In terms of mobility, Singapore’s smart, connected traffic solutions combined with its strong policy help improve the country’s traffic system. The study noted that gridlock causes drivers to lose up to 70 hours per year, as such an integrated IoT-enabled infrastructure can save drivers 60 hours per year.

On the area of health, Singapore and Seoul’s use of digital service platforms and remote monitoring devices help make the country’s care services for senior citizens more efficient. The study found that connected digital health services can save citizens almost 10 hours a year, besides potential lifesaving benefits for both patients and caregivers.

Moreover, Singapore’s smart video surveillance project helps the country improve its public safety by detecting criminal activity.

“Analysts tend to focus on the technical underpinnings of building a data-centric world,” said Windsor Holden, head of forecasting and consultancy at Juniper Research, in a press release. “We can’t overlook the importance of the real human benefits that smart cities have. Connected communities, municipal services and processes have a powerful impact on a citizen’s quality of life.”