Sunday, November 10, 2024

Monash corrects misinformation on smart cities technology

City of Monash Council says it has become aware of incorrect information being circulated in the community regarding the concept of a 20-minute neighbourhood, and technologies being used by local government in smart cities applications.

In a statement, the Council said the information being shared was not endorsed or produced by Council or Councillors and was incorrect.

“There is never any personal information or identifying information collected in these ‘smart cities’ solutions, but they do improve our neighbourhoods,” the Council said.

“The concept behind 20 minute neighbourhoods is straightforward. These neighbourhoods are designed to make sure everything you need day-to-day is close to home and that it is within a walkable distance.”

The Council said that at times smart cities technology can be used to understand where there is congestion on a path or road network or an intersection.

“They can also help Council improve our services for community by using sensors to notify us when a bin is full or when a drain is blocked, helping to stop litter entering waterways and flooding,” it said.

“The concept is for people to be able to move easily about their local neighbourhoods and find what they need close by.

“In your community, you should be able to access any service you need easily, whether you drive or not – supermarkets, stores, doctors, community hubs should be accessible within 20 minutes, however you get around.

“It’s about options – if you need to drive you can but you can also choose to walk, ride or use a mobility device too.”

In March, Council announced it would be installing 16 Network Gateways across the City to establish a robust, scalable and secure infrastructure for its transition to ‘Smart Monash’

“An essential component of Smart Monash is the Smart Cities Network – the “brain and nerves” of a Smart City. It connects all the smart devices and sensors together (like a giant internet) and collects real-time data from them,” the Council said at the time.

A pilot for network coverage was conducted on three different sites in Glen Waverley, Mount Waverley and Clayton.

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