Page 48 - Traffic Infra Tech Magazine

SMART CITY

Smart Cities require that we consumption and traffic volumes, or the concept will later be rolled out. If it
break down the silo walls statistics based on relevant historical doesn’t, not much has been lost in terms
parameters right up to sophisticated of time and money.”
Daniel Weitze says, “ “The center prognosis and simulation tools. This
looks pretty much like a Western city, allows highly accurate assessment Siemens’ follows a similar general
sometimes you think this could be New and meaningful comparison of the strategy for developing new, smart
York. Other districts do have a typically different available intervention options, solutions at the new Smart City Digital
Asian character, the streets are lined for instance Pollution Tolling schemes Hub in Hong Kong. In contrast to
development projects for future series-
with countless small shops. And a bit or instructing the citizens to work produced systems, most projects here
farther from the center, there are many exclusively from home on specific days. do without a predefined roadmap with
hills and beaches, where you might Thanks to smart modifications, even multiple validation loops. It all starts
almost believe to have set foot on an with the envisaged business case or the
uninhabited island.” individual devices can turn into true
all-rounders: The so-called Embedded specific customer request - and the first
According to him the smart city vision City Box, for example, was originally prototype is created as soon as possible.
requires fully integrated approaches designed for air quality measurements. The rapid pace is supported by
that bring together all the different Equipped with a camera and a local cooperation agreements with local start-
disciplines involved. The various processing unit for video analysis, the ups, for which creativity and speed is
specialists cannot concentrate exclusively box becomes the perfect tool for use in usually an integral part of their DNA..
on their own area of expertise if they the scope of “Smart Kerbside”, a pilot “This makes the start-ups our speedboats,
want to develop effective concepts. project for monitoring loading zones so to speak, that can immediately adapt
Optimum results require permanent that has just been started. Initially their course to changing requirements
exchange and cooperation - or “breaking limited to the district of Kowloon East, and start working full-throttle on
down the silo walls”. it may subsequently be implemented new solutions.” In Weitze’s eyes, the
Cooperative solutions throughout the city, if the technology cooperation with inventive newcomers
promise significant added proves successful. The purpose: The offers another major advantage: “In
value automatic identification of loading the field of traffic engineering, Siemens
zones that are blocked by cars so that has been mostly active in the business-
What the combination of Mobility and prompt measures can be taken to make to-business and business-to-government
Building Technology solutions could look the zones accessible again. markets. Now the teamwork with
like is illustrated by the following - still only If something looks promising, we people who are busy developing cool
theoretical - scenario for the automation simply go ahead and try it. If it works, applications for consumers provides us
of emergency processes in the case of the concept will later be rolled out. If it with a lot of additional data that will
fires: As soon as the fire protection system doesn’t, not much has been lost in terms help us make our systems even more
in a building triggers an alarm, a drone is of time and money. performant and adaptive.”
sent over for verification. While the drone
is still on its way, the traffic management The rapid paces are A place that makes it
system already calculates the best route cooperations with start-ups especially easy to forge
for the emergency vehicles so that the Kowloon East is the official “test-bed” alliances
fire fighters can start immediately when district for implementing and trialing When looking for suitable business
they receive the get-go. If this is the measures in the Smart City context. partners, the Hong Kong Science Park
case, the system adapts the traffic light “Smart Kerbside” is one of six proof- is certainly one of the best places in
switching routines to clear the way for the of-concept initiatives that are currently the world. Already today, the HKSC is
emergency vehicles at all intersections. being implemented. In a second step, home to about 400 to 600 companies
Besides safety, the key driving factors the results will be evaluated in a of all sizes. A large part of them are
behind the development of integrated dedicated study. The other projects active in the fields of Green Technology
solutions in Hong Kong also include cover topics such as pedestrian routing, or Communication Technology - two
air quality. The city performance tool crowd management or improved energy areas that are going to play a leading
“Air”, for instance, combines more efficiency. What all have in common role in the Smart Cities of the future.
than 80 different Siemens technologies. is a fast-track implementation and Then there are also several universities,
The array of functions ranges from the evaluation timeline. “If something looks who can provide valuable input for the
measurement and analysis of current promising, we simply go ahead and creation of true innovation.
data on weather conditions, power try it,” says Daniel Weitze. “If it works, With permission from Siemens AG

48 April - May ’18 / TrafficInfraTech www.trafficinfratech-com-500653.hostingersite.com