Smart Cities or Smart Transportation?

Transportation seems to be the key driver in many smart city initiatives. MK:Smart is a multifaceted approach for Milton Keynes to respond to rapid population growth through "internet of things" (IoT) and one of their solutions is to provide real-time information to drivers on where to park their cars and how to pay for it efficiently. Read more about the project here.

Not surprisingly, the two primary challenges of IoT projects concern humans, not cars. Developing an infrastructure that tackles efficiencies in transportation and resource management requires shared systems within the broader landscape of stakeholders that include government, academia and industry. In other words, lots of meetings and steering committees. The other challenge is the elephant in the room...privacy. It's time for smart city initiatives to include citizen engagement as a driver rather than an afterthought.