Big Data & Smart Cities: How can we prepare for them?

There are 1.3 million people moving into cities each week, and by 2040, 65% of the world’s population is expected to be living in cities, with 90% of this urban population growth set to occur in Africa and Asia.

From e-bikes to congestion charges, experts have spent decades trying to improve the quality of life in our cities.

We have heard the term “smart city” many times but what does it mean?

A smart city is simply one that uses technology to improve outcomes across every aspect of city operations and enhance the services it offers to its residents.

So what is big data’s role in the equation?

Let’s imagine a display on your dashboard window alerts you that weather conditions have made your usual route to work less favorable and, subsequently, reroutes your trip to the office based on real-time calculations of optimal conditions. Once inside the parking garage, another alert notifies you of the closest parking spot, determined by an estimation of your workplace based on your established commuting patterns.

Such a vision is not one of the future but of present reality. Indeed, cities have increasingly adopted technologies like Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and distributed sensors to create what many are calling the…