Singapore bags No 1 position in Smart City performance: Study

Singapore has bagged the top position in Smart City index performance, beating cities like London and New York.

The findings are results by market researcher Juniper Research who ranks the  top 20 global Smart Cities in terms of the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and connected services across four key areas: mobility, healthcare, public safety and productivity.

“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,” said Windsor Holden, Juniper Research’s head of forecasting and consultancy.

The study mentioned that Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative and its position as a city-state make the country unique in its ability to execute its smart city vision.

It also revealed that the Internet of Things based infrastructure of Singapore including the smart transport system has saved atleast  60 hours of each driver per annum.

The second place has been grabbed by San Francisco and third by London in their efforts to use technology solutions to curb mobility-related issues such as traffic congestion.

The study also found out that digital health services, such as wearable apps that monitor blood pressure, can save individuals close to 10 hours a year.

“Singapore and Seoul were notable in terms of their focus on addressing healthcare service provision for elderly citizens through a range of technologies, including digital service platforms as well as remote monitoring devices,” Juniper said.

The study also observed that use of IoT in  public safety will benefit the citizens in saving atleast 35 hours per year.