Maxwell: The pros and cons of Scottsdale’s ‘smart city’ pursuit

On Thursday of last week, Scottsdale’s Economic Development subcommittee heard a presentation on the Scottsdale Smart City Strategic Roadmap.

As technology moves forward and the internet becomes more closely entwined in our daily lives, municipalities worldwide are leveraging connected ecosystems to make cities safer, more sustainable, and more responsive to the needs of its citizens.

So, what exactly, is a smart city? Generally, a smart city utilizes IoT (Internet of Things) devices embedded in roads, streetlights, buildings, and other places that compile data to improve the lives of residents and visitors.

Smart cities can benefit residents by implementing smart traffic management, better waste, and recycling management and help prevent crime. Smart cities also build digital infrastructure that provides faster more affordable internet access.

We have all had smoke detectors in our homes for years. How much more effective would smoke detectors be if when triggered, they not only sounded an alarm to occupants in the house but also alerted the closest fire station?

That is a technology that saves lives, and that is just one example of how cities can leverage technology to improve the lives of its citizens.

Another example of how smart cities can improve the lives of its residents and tourists alike is the parking app pilot done by Scottsdale in 2018 --- using 834 sensors embedded in the street, the mobile app guided users to open parking spaces.

The allure of smart cities is undoubtedly promising, and the benefits are often clear to see. But are there any risks or concerns by ushering in new technology? There certainly are. When the audience was asked at the end of last week’s presentation if there were any questions? There were none. Except I had a page full of notes and a lot of questions.

As someone who works with technology every day, I embrace the prospect of Scottsdale becoming a smart city and also recognize the inherent concerns and risks of too much technology in our lives.

Ironically on the same day, the Scottsdale Smart City Strategic Roadmap was being presented. Amazon and Microsoft announced a moratorium on the use of facial recognition technology that they produce. This follows an earlier announcement by IBM that they would no longer offer software that provides recognition analytics.

Technology implemented correctly will vastly enhance our quality of life. It will make us safer and improve on the services the city provides.

Implementation of IoT technology will help businesses, citizens, and schools but it must be done only after careful consideration of what trade-offs exist. We need to have a community conversation where residents consider the value of convenience balanced with privacy concerns.

Editor’s Note: Kevin Maxwell is a candidate for Scottsdale City Council in the Aug. 4 primary election.