First steps towards a smart city: E-buses are already operating in Hamburg.
Image: dpa
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Digital administration, climate-neutral public transport and a fast network: Municipalities want to make their infrastructure fit for the future. Cooperation with private companies could be worthwhile – but few dare to take this step.
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ash. Frankfurt ⋅ The e-bus fleet runs on electricity from renewable energies. In the app you can find timetable changes in real time and make an appointment at the Citizens’ Information Office. This is how the city of the future could work. For many municipalities, however, there is still a long way to go before the so-called “smart city” in which public transport, housing associations, administration and municipal utilities are digitally networked. In this way, cities and communities should become socially inclusive and more sustainable. The Competence Center for Public Economy, Infrastructure and Services of General Interest (KOWID) at the University of Leipzig asked more than 100 municipalities why the expansion of sustainable infrastructure is stagnating – and why many cities and municipalities are reluctant to work with private companies on this.
In the study, which will be published on Monday, the municipalities surveyed admit that many of their tasks could be organized in a more digital and networked way. They see potential, for example, in local public transport, in energy supply and in health and education. The first projects are already being tackled in many places: 64 percent of the urban districts and 56 percent of the rural districts say they are working on becoming a smart city. Almost a third of the communities belonging to the district have already implemented smart projects. There are many plans for the future, but so far the municipalities have mainly digitized their administrations and expanded broadband connections. They have just laid the foundation for their smart cities.
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