What Smart Cities Mean For You and Your Trucks

Smart cities are set to impact many in the transport and the freight world as the nature of driving changes. Many within the industry have been quick to embrace the connectivity available, through telematics and now the Internet of Things (IoT), as soon as they understood its potential. Recently, Intelligent Transportation Systems New Zealand embraced smart connectivity in their new Strategy and Business Plan , encompassing traffic management systems, communication systems, data analytics and demand management techniques.

IoT is a term often understood to mean a connected network of smart devices that record and share data. But this environment also includes the individuals and groups that make use of this information -- and the organisations that rely on IoT data to operate with greater efficiency.

As cities bring more of this technology into public areas and organisations, it makes it easier for fleet managers and drivers to perform their day-to-day duties. Here are just some benefits that smart cities offer fleet managers and drivers.

Better roads and routing

In a smart city, IoT allows public agencies to maximise energy use and cut down on waste, for a smaller carbon footprint. It can control the power grid in real time to prevent outages and use electricity during off-peak hours, organise waste and recycling, and monitor streets to detect and avoid potential problems.

One of these problems is traffic congestion. Governments globally and local government agencies in New Zealand are preparing for a future in which businesses can monitor traffic that will shorten drive time, save fuel and decrease accident rates. Smart vehicles are an important piece of the puzzle with helping to improve road efficiency, and their numbers are rapidly growing. A Deloitte Access Economics report estimates that New Zealand’s autonomous vehicle market will be worth $362 million by 2050.

Easier to adopt technologies

Many businesses, from transport to construction, are seeing the value of telematics. But many are still hesitant to pick up the technology and rely instead on manual processes. Seeing the benefits of IoT at the local city level means managers who have yet to adopt telematics are more likely to get started. You get a better understanding of how the technology is used to simplify every problem.

Smart technology becoming more widely adopted

Smart technology and autonomous vehicles are expected to advance in the corporate and government environments before trickling down to the general public. Governments and enterprises have the most to gain from the technology as developing it is a sure-fire way to increase capital and help with expansion plans. Advances in both hardware and software will cause the entry costs to go down, making it easier for consumers and passenger cars to join the ranks. With cities, businesses and the public all connected, it will become easier to access data and communicate.

As smart cities become more common place, vehicles will navigate more smoothly and get their business done on schedule — resulting in real dividends for fleet productivity: faster trips, shorter driving hours, decreased fuel consumption, an enhanced bottom line. In return, the city and those on its streets enjoy reduced traffic congestion and with less engine idling, cleaner air.