With the popularity of 5G, new IoT functions will be online

 Author: Cassie Compilation Source: Thousands of Networks |2021-07-13 10:59 Collection Share

The concept of the city will evoke certain images in people's minds, whether it is the Jasons in the 60s cartoon or something similar to the dystopian future depicted in the Blade Runner series. Although there are no flying cars or glass tubes to gather people to work, the reality is that smart cities are already here, operating behind the scenes in surprisingly practical but valuable ways.

Smart cities use advances in digital technologies such as the Internet of Things to improve the quality of life of residents, save energy and reduce emissions.

As 5G wireless networks become more extensive and complex, the capabilities of smart cities will rapidly increase. With the advent of 5G, everything from vehicles, public transportation, water and traffic management, public safety, and green technology to the Internet of Things will experience large-scale innovation.

  

5G Will Improve Intelligent Transportation Systems 

Autonomous driving and connected vehicles already have impressive capabilities, such as detecting objects in the path and braking when necessary. With 5G, these vehicles will become safer and more common.

Through 5G communication, artificial intelligence will be able to make instant decisions on roads and intersections. Smart cities also plan to establish a grid of interconnected cars so that autonomous vehicles can "talk" to each other and receive instructions to avoid congested areas and prevent accidents. 

Connected vehicles using 5G may also benefit the environment. Many people predict that the rise of self-driving cars and ride-sharing services will lead to a decline in personal car ownership. In addition, connected vehicles will be mainly electric, requiring smaller motors, thereby reducing the use of fossil fuels. 

Public transportation is a major component of cities, and can also benefit from 5G networks through real-time and end-to-end visibility. Residents who rely on buses, subways, and light rails will use "journey-level intelligence" and fleet monitoring to get to where they need it faster and more safely. In addition, their overall travel experience will be improved through advanced Wi-Fi connections and in-vehicle communications, as well as secure fare collection and mobile ticketing.

Smart Water and Transportation Infrastructure Benefit From 5G

One of the main goals of smart cities is to optimize existing infrastructure. For example, 5G will help smart cities accurately monitor water management and make adjustments when necessary, such as checking for leaks.

The amount of water used in the city is incredible, but most of it is wasted during the leak. Due to water leakage, the United States loses approximately 1.7 trillion gallons of water each year. In addition, every year infrastructure leaks cause ordinary cities anywhere in the world to lose 20% to 40% of their drinking water.

Smart cities hope to use 5G-powered smart water monitoring equipment to track and detect leaks as early as possible so that the water department can solve the problem immediately. With 5G, water monitoring equipment can use information faster and provide actionable insights on where, when, and how a leak occurred.

In addition to monitoring leaks, smart cities can also use sensors installed along river banks to monitor floods. After upgrading with 5G, the accuracy and speed of forecasting floods will increase. Cities can also deploy automated systems to give residents a clearer understanding of their water consumption and provide them with ways to save water.

Public transportation is a major component of cities, and can also benefit from 5G networks through real-time and end-to-end visibility. Residents who rely on buses, subways, and light rails will use "journey-level intelligence" and fleet monitoring to get to where they need it faster and more safely. In addition, their overall travel experience will be improved through advanced Wi-Fi connections and in-vehicle communications, as well as secure fare collection and mobile ticketing.

Another major infrastructure problem solved by smart cities is transportation. Oftentimes, traffic problems, such as out-of-time lights, are due to transportation agencies relying on outdated timetables and technology. By strategically placing 5G connectivity technologies such as sensors and cameras throughout the city, the central location running on the artificial intelligence system can send and receive information about traffic patterns in real time. Then, the artificial intelligence system can notify traffic lights to adjust the time and eliminate unnecessary stops to ensure unimpeded traffic. With 5G, smart cities can make better decisions on how to guide traffic and where roads and parking spaces need to be improved. Compared with the problems they solve, these solutions are generally low-cost and cost-saving.

5G Can Help Cities Make Residents Safer

Smart cities not only use 5G to solve traffic and infrastructure problems, but also use it to enhance the safety of residents. Smart cities can develop strategies to achieve a range of goals, including earthquake early warning and damage assessment, flood relief, and homeless data modeling. With the help of 5G, cities will be able to achieve these goals one day.

Similarly, the smart city plans to use 5G capabilities to generate an alert system that will notify pedestrians’ mobile phones if a dangerous or suspicious vehicle approaches. They can use innovative software in conjunction with security camera lenses to determine the source of the gunfire, so that criminals can be quickly arrested.

Several other smart cities have different applications that enable residents to report potholes and problems in the city's infrastructure and communicate with city officials. The effectiveness of these applications and software will only increase with the development of 5G in the future.

5G Enables Green Technology For A Cleaner Environment

The last fundamental aspect of any smart city is its commitment to energy conservation and emission reduction. With the introduction of 5G, the application of green technology in cities and their environmental projects will directly increase.

Through real-time data transmission, better design and complex algorithms, 5G will help smart cities and smart buildings move towards net zero emissions, lower energy consumption, and cleaner air.

There can be no green technology without wireless communication; it is essential for monitoring the level of industrial storage tanks and chemical emissions. 5G supports the management and automation of green technologies such as solar panels, precision agriculture, and street lighting.

Smart cities also plan to use 5G through sensors. First, these devices will monitor air quality, sound pollution, and public trash bin levels.

At present, smart cities using green technologies have achieved impressive results, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10% to 15%, reducing 30 to 130 kilograms of solid waste per person per year, and saving 25 to 80 liters of water per person per year. The future benefits of green technology will be huge; researchers predict that by 2030, compared with existing cellular networks, emissions per unit of data transmitted by 5G networks will be reduced by 85%.

Smart cities have made the lives of residents better, and with the implementation of 5G, their achievements will eventually turn yesterday's science fiction into tomorrow's possibility.