Outlook

Smart cities are inevitable. It is up to us to shape them. Urban planner Frank Schwartze is especially focused on the balance of interests among the respective optimization goals:

Will we use smart city technologies to improve our lives and make our cities more sustainable, or will we rather use them as gadgets to increase our comfort? Will traffic be optimized to allow for more cars, or will technology be used to reduce the consumption of resources? Will we be able to create structures that promote citizen participation in the decision-making process?

There is no doubt that we are at the beginning of complex socio-political changes. Digitalization will affect everyone and everything. However, the smart city will only be successful if we find a balance between people and technology and keep a close eye on our resources.