Why blockchain’s security is going to bring smart cities to the next levelhttps://medium.com/@tokenomy/why-blockchains-security-is-going-to-bring-smart-cities-to-the-next-level-f4548259ffe1The rise of smart cities is here, and these connected urban environments have become a major focus for many countries. Excluding Japan, the countries that make up Asia-Pacific are spending on smart cities projects is set to reach $28.3 billion in 2018, according to new figures from the IDC. While cities experiment with how to implement technologies that will bring benefits to inhabitants and economies, blockchain has also quickly gained traction and can be in integral part of making smart cities a success.
Much more than buzzwords, blockchain and smart cities can work together to create a successful future. To find out how, we must first break down each concept.
The concept of a smart city is one that combines information and communication technologies in an effort to improve services such as transportation and utilities, decreasing wastage and in increasing cost saving. Many cities take this concept and implement it on a relatively simple scale — for example, the use of sensors for things such as signalling how many parking spaces are available in garages, traffic stops and street lights.
A set of street lights in a smart city will, for example, use sensors to detect human activity in order to increase the lighting during periods of activity and then decrease lighting when there is a lack of activity. A system like this could help the city save on electricity costs in the long run, and will ensure that residents benefit from a proper street lighting system.
But cost saving isn’t the only thing that a smart city can improve — it can also assist in areas such as traffic flow management. Traffic stops equipped with sensors can detect the presence and amount of cars waiting at a stop, and then manage an intersection to ensure a smooth flow of traffic.
There are many other examples where this type of smart city technology can prove to be useful, for example detecting water leaks in piping, or helping police monitor for high traffic areas for unusual activity and crime.
However, while these technologies are beneficial, they do still remain in silos — an area that blockchain technology can help tackle.
Simply put, blockchain is distributed ledger technology. This type of tech uses individual nodes to record, share and synchronize transactions in their own ledgers, meaning that there is no central location for the information. The underlying benefit here is that blockchain technology makes it nearly impossible to record fake transactions.
It’s this inherent security within the blockchain system that can have a major impact on how smart cities develop, specifically in two areas — citywide Internet of Things and personal identification.
