The City of Hamburg and Cisco are currently working on a Smart City scheme which includes the deployment of smart street lighting, a smart traffic system to optimise traffic flows and detect incidents earlier, environment and infrastructure sensing, and a virtual citizen services solution, where administrative services are provided through a high-definition, remote video kiosk
The port, which is the beating heart of Hamburg's economy, is becoming a Smart Port, which includes capturing and analysing emissions data in order to be able to provide more reliable forecasts on noise, temperatures, humidity, and pollution.
TRP: What does the future hold for M2M users?
ES: In the future, smart solutions will be an essential part of our everyday life. We already use more and more M2M solutions without being aware of it. People my age are digital immigrants. Future generations will look back at today's world, wondering how we managed to live without all the M2M solutions they will take for granted, just like many people don't remember how they coped without mobile phones.
Having said that, it is essential that the politicians realise the potential of M2M technologies. Currently, there are still too many hurdles for smart solutions, even though these solutions would improve our economy as well as our lives. Confidential data of users, for example, must be protected at all times. However, there must be a clear distinction between confidential data and information about customers who would actually be happy to benefit from services that would make their lives much easier.
About Eric Schneider
Eric is the 1st chairman of the M2M Alliance, the biggest association for the machine-to-machine sector in Europe with 79 members from 13 countries. As an independent industry association, the M2M Alliance supports its members in the growing M2M market. The not-for-profit organisation also organises the annual M2M Summit.
In his day job, Eric works as a consultant for Mediaan ABS in the areas of Business Transformation Projects, Information Security & Quality Management Processes/Systems.
