Cities Are Multifaceted Systems Characterized By Heavily Interconnected Multi-Modal Transport Systems: Emerging Technologies Assignment, TCD, Ireland

Introduction

Cities are multifaceted systems characterized by heavily interconnected multi-modal transport systems, organizations, citizens, communication networks, and services(Rathore, Ahmad, Paul, Rho, 2016). Urban population growth has led to cities encountering traffic congestion, shortage of natural resources, air pollution, wastes disposal safety, and insufficiency of infrastructure failing to cope with the accumulative flow of citizens (Neirotti, De Marco, Cagliano, Mangano, &Scorrano, 2014).

The extent and complexity of these challenges, combined with restricted resources, have required governments to search for solutions to better manage and monitor cities (Vishnivetskaya& Alexandrova, 2019). According to (Ang-Tan & Ang (2021), theapproachto solving the problems is by transforming these urban environments into smart cities. The difference between smart cities andtraditionalmetropolises is their focus on deploying Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for the operation and governance of the city.

Also referred to as “digital”, “intelligent” or “creative” cities, the aim of a smart is to design cities with core infrastructures that provide citizens with a decent of standard living that is safe, a sustainable environment. In their literature review several writers(Ang-Tan & Ang, 2021; Samih, 2019; Timeus, & Vinaixa & Pardo-Bosch (2020) have found that most conceptualizations of the smart city include combinations of three elements; people, technology, policies/institutions, and collaboration, On the other hand, Vishnivetskaya& Alexandrova, (2019) identify four dimensions; a well-developed economy, modern infrastructure, high living standards, and favorable environment, while lava, Jiao, Buttlar, &Lajnef, 2018 and Samih, 2019) list six major components; smart governance, smart economy, smart citizens, smart mobility, smart environment, and smart living.

From a technological viewpoint, Joo (2021) states, smart cities are categorized by having a highly dense network presence of ICT applied to critical infrastructure components and services, with ICT permeating into intelligent-acting products and services, artificial intelligence, and thinking machines.

This assignment attempts to examine Stockholm’sinitiatives of becoming a fully smart city. The paper begins with a definition of smart cities. This is followed by a detailed model comprising the elements of a smart city and a discussion on sustainability and the future of smart cities. The next section will contain the application of the elements to the focus city for analysis. Finally, an evaluation of the city’s strengths and weaknesses are compared across the elements of the model.