Metering and surveillance applications dominate the Internet of Things (IoT) smart city market, according to a new analysis by ABI Research.
The research firm predicts that smart utility metering and video surveillance will represent 87% of all smart city connections by 2026.
Metering is mainly focused on usage monitoring, savings and efficient operation of electricity, gas and water networks. Meanwhile video surveillance has extended beyond security and crime detection and prevention and into new applications like urban tolling and low emission zones to reduce air pollution, as well as more general safety applications like pedestrian detection and alerts.
Advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are making these connections even more valuable.
“Metering and surveillance are increasingly augmented by AI and deep learning technologies to enable use cases such as preventive maintenance and advanced machine vision safety and security applications,” explained Dominique Bonte, vice president of end markets at ABI Research. “AI is increasingly deployed for preventive maintenance (prognostics), water leak detection and other anomalies, demand-response solutions, traffic management and vulnerable road user safety.”
While surveillance cameras with embedded AI computing capabilities are already being deployed, the rollout of low latency 5G connectivity will enable real-time local response management by leveraging more powerful cloud-based AI capabilities.
In the future, the inclusion of metering and surveillance IoT connectivity in urban modelling and digital twins will enable advanced monitoring, scenario testing and optimisation of all urban operational systems through real-time digital replicas as well as advancing resilience and circular economy agendas, ABI Research said.