A smart city makes use of technology and data to improve the quality of life of people by transforming the city into an efficient, sustainable and liveable one. In an urban setting, the use of smart technologies could improve the quality of life indicators, and positively impact public health, sense of community and other aspects of life. Various technologies are incorporated into the design, like the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI). Data collected through these are used for decision-making on aspects regarding energy consumption reduction, and to improve services. The ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] Smart Cities Network (ASCN), established in 2018, works towards the common goal of smart and sustainable development of the 10 ASEAN member states. Southeast Asian (SEA) countries are also moving towards adopting various new digital technologies and innovations to carry out operations in a better and more effective way.
Autonomous vehicles
Many countries are moving towards the use of autonomous vehicles (AVs). Singapore, for example, has held various trials on the use of AVs in the country. AVs can potentially bring down human error-based accidents in addition to carrying out route optimisation through intelligent algorithmic planning. One of the largest taxi operators in Singapore, ComfortDelGro, has invested in Ottopia, a self-driving software start-up, for moving towards autonomous transportation. Among the possibilities, AVs are likely to aid in overcoming workforce and labour constraints, increase mobility for the elderly, etc.
Monitoring and management systems
Technological developments are also targeted towards improving monitoring and management systems in the country, including traffic management, the use of CCTV cameras, automated management, etc. Further, given the growing urban population, a smart city needs to undertake traffic control through the use of various technologies. For instance, a Korean company, BlueSignal, is working on providing their AI-based Navi Box CCTV technology to reduce traffic congestion in Bangkok, Thailand. Singapore has been known for using the latest technologies to improve the lives of people. There have been continuous developments in, among others, the transportation and healthcare sectors. The country has an advanced system of transportation and its management. Various transportation modes are integrated through smart ticketing systems. Various technologies have also been adopted in the mass rapid transit (MRT) system, including intelligent signalling systems, automatic train control, etc. Further, the country has over 100,000 surveillance cameras and has invested in face recognition and biometric technologies.
Digital twin
The use of digital twins is also seen to be an upcoming trend among cities. Given the rapid pace of growth and the diverse needs and problems currently faced by cities, the use of digital twins could prove advantageous for planning, testing and simulation. In Indonesia, E8IGHT, a smart city digital twin service provider, aids in providing digital 3D spatial information through a geographic information system (GIS) and building information modelling (BIM). Further, various other innovations and simulations can be carried out. Among recent developments, South Korea’s KT Corp signed an MoU with Telkom Indonesia in October 2023. Plans include the adoption of smart city technologies including cybersecurity and quantum communications in Nusantara, which is set to be the new capital of Indonesia.
Smart buildings
Various buildings in Singapore have been designed focusing on sustainability and human-centric features. These include the use of digital twin solutions for planning and maintenance, sustainable designs for net zero, and the use of AI and IoT. Various buildings also make use of energy-efficient technologies. For example, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore uses advanced systems like rainwater harvesting, energy-efficient lighting, etc. It has also fitted technology that captures the waste heat from air conditioners for use in heating water in swimming pools.
Changing agricultural sector
Countries have also been working towards including digital and smart technologies to revolutionise the farming sector. Malaysia is also looking to transform its farms into smart ones through the use of drones, controlled sensors, etc. The use of IoT and other technologies enables remote control of operations. Thailand has also seen developments in terms of smart farming. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) have launched the 1 Tambon 1 Digital project under which agricultural drones are to be deployed across 500 local communities. The advanced drone technology is expected to increase the efficiency and productivity of farmers. The project also aims to enhance the skills for the use of drones in agriculture for communities and farmers.
Other initiatives and future plans
Given recent trends and the increasing need to develop smart cities, countries have targets and are in the process of developing their cities into smart ones. For instance, the economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City is to be developed into a smart urban area by 2030. The city has a high rank in Vietnam in terms of its digital transformation index. Further, digital transformation is promoted in the country through various events and conferences like Digital Transformation Week, etc. Kuala Lumpur is also aiming towards smart development, with the government targeting the development of federal territories into smart cities by 2030. Some of the measures undertaken include the development of low-carbon cities, electric buses, etc.
Malaysia also has the Malaysia Smart City Framework (MSCF). It acts as a guide for different stakeholders planning developments in the country. Under the MSCF, there are seven major components which include smart economy, smart living, smart environment, smart people, smart government, smart mobility, and smart digital infrastructure. Indonesia also targets the digitisation of its cities with a programme that aims to make around 100 cities smarter. The project, however, does face challenges, in terms of the fast growth of technology leading to changes in the strategy to be adopted. 5G technology, this year, is also expected to open up more growth opportunities. Two of the smart cities in the country are Bandung and Jakarta.
Conclusion
Given recent trends and developments, it is evident that smart cities are on the rise worldwide, and in the SEA region. However, this will inevitably throw up new challenges including security-related issues and catching up with the fast pace of technology development. Despite this, there still exists huge potential in the adoption of technology and data for the transformation into smart cities, to address issues and to plan for future solutions. With the help of this, processes can be speeded up and efficiency increased, in addition to providing city residents with an improved quality of life and standard of living.
