At the end of April, the IMD World Competitiveness Centre released its annual Smart City Index. The index looks at living across 141 different cities and surveys residents on various structures and technologies to determine whether tech-based solutions are adequately addressing their concerns. We at BanklessTimes.com have focussed in on the use of smart technologies, comparing the cities that appear in the top ten to reveal what they were doing well, and where they have still got room for improvement.
1. Zurich
Zurich has been voted the World’s Smartest City since 2019 and achieves an A rating for its use of technologies.
What it does right…
The Swiss National Museum, the Kunsthaus and the Opera House are three of Zurich’s most loved attractions and they all offer online ticketing. This is common in Zurich, where 78.5% believe the purchasing of e-tickets to shows and museums has made it easier for residents to attend. While ‘activities’ was the category that ranked highest in terms of Zurich’s use of technology, the internet also deserves an honourable mention, with 78.7% of residents feeling that their connectivity needs are met by the speed and reliability of their connection.
What needs to improve…
When it comes to ‘governance’, Zurich does not score highly. Only 44.6% believe that online access to city records is adequate to reduce corruption, while less than half of residents feel that online voting has increased participation. Zurich also fails in its ability to provide its citizens with the relevant apps that they require. Only 39.5% believe that there are sufficient apps to monitor air pollution, and the city is also lacking apps that enable car sharing or assist with locating parking spaces, which could significantly ease congestion.
2. Oslo
For as long as Zurich has held the top spot, Oslo has ranked in second position, holding an A rating for technologies.
What it does right….
Whether you want to saunter through the Norsk Folkemuseum or view the paintings of Edward Munch, you’ll find purchasing tickets online is straightforward. In fact, 78.9% of Oslo residents believe that this has made it easier to attend galleries and exhibitions; lending the highest score to the ‘activities’ sector. Oslo must do ticketing well, as 78.8% of residents also feel that public transport is more straightforward thanks to the city’s use of online ticketing and scheduling.
What needs to improve…
Norway’s government is ranked amongst the least corrupt in the world and is clearly trusted by residents, so while only 43.8% of citizens believe that online access to information about public finances actually assists with oversight, the need for careful scrutiny is perhaps less acute than it is in other parts of the world. While governance is Oslo’s worst scoring area, its main performance shortfall was down to the lack of an adequate app to monitor air pollution (40.6%).
3. Canberra
Australia’s capital is a new addition for 2022, and the fact that it’s come straight in at number three is certainly no mean feat. Canberra receives an A rating for its use of technologies.
What it does right…
Like the two cities that have come before it, Canberra’s best ranking is in the ‘activities’ category where 79.1% of residents believe that the online purchasing of tickets to shows and museums has made it much easier to attend. A night at the Canberra Theatre Centre isn’t the only thing that’s become easier to secure, with 78.5% reporting that the ability to arrange medical appointments online has made it easier to access health care within the city.
What needs to improve...
There have long been issues with Canberra’s public transport offerings, with calls for the city to expand the light rail network and offer more buses, and these issues might be spilling over into ‘mobility’, which scores just 42.5% across the sector. Less than a third of all residents believe that the technology is there to direct drivers towards empty parking spaces, while just 39.5% think that car sharing apps have eased congestion.
4. Copenhagen
The Danish city has moved up one position from 2021 and has an A rating for its smart use of technologies.
What it does right…
Tickets to Copenhagen Zoo, the National Aquarium and SMK can all be purchased online and, as with the cities that have come before it, Copenhagen ranks highest in the ‘activities’ category with 78.3% of residents praising the availability of technology in this area . It’s no secret providing services online makes it easier for residents to access them, and 72.2% feeling that being able to access job opportunities on the internet has made it easier to seek out new career opportunities.
What needs to improve…
With over 49% of the population owning a bike, Copenhagen is considered to be the world’s most cycle friendly city. So it was a surprise to hear that only 45% believe that bicycle hiring has eased congestion within the city – perhaps too many bicycles has the opposite effect? In fact, Copenhagen scored poorly throughout the ‘mobility’ sector, with only 36.7% believing that car sharing apps have eased congestion.
5. Lausanne
Lausanne is the second Swiss city to make an appearance in our rankings, so the Alpine country must be doing something right in terms of city planning. Its position in fifth place represents a small drop from 2021, when it held fourth position. Lausanne’s smart technologies receive an A ranking.
What it does right…
There’s no guessing where Lausanne achieves its highest score! As with all the cities that precede it, Lausanne ranks best in terms of ‘activities’ with 78.1% of residents believing that the online purchasing of tickets has made it easier to attend attractions such as the Olympic Museum and the Museum of Zoology. Online ticket sales and scheduling has also made it easier to use public transportation within the city, according to 71.3% of all residents.
What needs to improve..
Despite technology helping to encourage the use of public transport, Lausanne still received its lowest score in the ‘mobility’ sector, with only 37.3% of people believing that car sharing apps have reduced traffic. The city should consider expanding its app-based offerings if it is looking to reduce congestion, as only 43.1% believe that apps directing residents to parking spaces have played a significant part in reducing journey times.
6. London
London may be sixth on the list, dropping three places from last year’s position, but in terms of technology it ranks AA and is therefore our highest scoring city on this single factor.
What it does right…
We barely need to mention its highest scoring sector, which is of course ‘activities’, with 78.3% praising the ease of online ticket purchasing. London also does well in terms of the opportunities that it offers, with 72.1% confirming that online access to job adverts has made it easier to find work. 71.5% are also impressed with the fast internet connection throughout the city, which they feel meets their needs in terms of connectivity.
What needs to improve…
London scores the lowest for ‘governance’ with an average score of 54.3%. Only 45.6% believe that there is adequate online access to city finances, while just 52.0% believe that websites allowing residents to submit ideas have in fact improved city life. While London has a good public transport network, only 44.5% feel that car sharing apps have contributed to reducing congestion, while only 44.9% believe that the city has an effective app for monitoring air pollution.
7. Singapore
Singapore is a non-mover at number seven, and has in fact remained in this same position since 2020. Singapore holds an A rating for technologies.
What it does right…
As with all the other cities, Singapore excels in the ‘activities’ sector with the highest percentage yet (83.0%) rating the ease of online ticket purchasing. In terms of opportunities, 84.2% feel that the city’s internet connection more than meets their needs, and with a connectivity rate of 99% and a broadband speed of 181.47MB the internet is indeed the best in the world. 81.1% of residents report that CCTV cameras make them feel safer, and Singapore also scores highly for the ease of booking medical appointments online.
What needs to improve…
With high scores across the board, there is little that Singapore gets wrong but perhaps where it needs to improve is in using technology to ease congestion. Only 54.0% agree that bicycle hiring eases congestion within the city, with many residents put off cycling entirely by the complicated rules that they may unwittingly break. Only 51.3% of Singaporeans believe that online voting has increased participation in elections, but in a country where voting is compulsory, the medium by which residents vote is unlikely to affect the outcome.
8. Helsinki
Helsinki moves up one position from 2021, to eighth place. The Finnish capital ranks A when it comes to technologies.
What it does right…
Yet again, Helsinki excels in the ‘activities’ sector, with 73.3% of residents believing that online ticket purchases make it easier to attend shows. The city also ranks highly in terms of opportunities, with 70.0% praising the internet connectivity and speed, and 68.0% agreeing that being able to access job opportunities online has made it easier to find work.
Where it needs to improve…
Helsinki is let down when it comes to ‘governance’, just failing to scrape a positive ranking in this area. Electrical voting has not been introduced within Helsinki, and as such only 41.1% of residents agree that online voting has increased user turnout. The city also scores low for online public access to city finances, which only 45% consider is adequate to reduce corruption. Helsinki’s lowest score by far was for car sharing apps, and despite the introduction of apps such as 24Go that promote this within Helsinki, only 34.7% of residents feel that it has in fact reduced congestion.
9. Geneva
Geneva is the third Swiss city to make it into the top ten, but while this is quite the achievement for Switzerland, Geneva’s position represents a drop from 2021, when it ranked in position six. The city ranks A for technologies.
What it does right…
The booking of activities is a win yet again, with 77.8% feeling that it makes it far easier to attend shows within the city. Geneva offers plenty of opportunities to its residents, and 75.9% believe that the current speed and reliability of the local internet meets their demands. As with ticket sales, Geneva’s public transportation service had improved with the introduction of online scheduling and ticket sales, according to 71.4% of residents.
Where it needs to improve…
Along with Zurich, Geneva was voted as having the worst traffic in Switzerland, with many residents frustrated by the amount of congestion. While car sharing apps could be the key to tackling traffic within the city, only 35.0% currently agree, and only 36.6% think that apps directing residents to available parking spaces have been effective in reducing journey times. The city also scores low in the field of governance, with just 40.7% agreeing that there is adequate online access to public records.
10. Stockholm
Stockholm is a new addition into the top ten, moving up one place from 2021. The city ranks A for smart technology use.
What it does right…
Every city within the top has achieved its highest ranking in the ‘activities’ section and Stockholm is no exception, with 77.4% of residents agreeing that the online purchasing of tickets has made it easier to attend shows and events. Moving ticketing services online is well received across all sectors, with 70% believing that public transportation in Stockholm has also become easier to use now that scheduling and ticket sales can be handled virtually.
Where it needs to improve…
Just 39.3% of residents say that online access to city finances has helped with government oversight, although given that Sweden is the third least corrupt country in the world, this may not matter too much. Governance is, however, the lowest scoring area for Stockholm by some margin, with only 45% of residents believing that online voting in the city has increased participation.
While there are many cities in our top ten that have achieved an excellent AAA rating in terms of their infrastructure, London is the only city that has achieved higher than an A ranking for its use of smart technology. Furthermore, Hong Kong and Seoul are the only two cities in the world that have achieved the full AAA ranking. While it seems that almost all the countries in the world are willing to embrace technology to bolster ticket sales, cities could be doing far more to adopt technology and develop apps that fix real problems that affect their residents, such as traffic congestion and government transparency.Jonathan Merry, CEO of BanklessTimes.com
Contributors
