Caution: It takes more than simply rolling out new technologies to create a “smart city”. This warning was issued by a person highly conversant in the sector, French MP Luc Belot, in the report he submitted to the French Prime Minister in April 2017 entitled “De la smart city au territoire d’intelligence(s)” (from smart city to territory of intelligence(s)). To enable a smart city to emerge successfully, it is crucial to de-compartmentalise, think cross-sectionally, and overcome the silo mentality, says Luc Belot. To this end, he recommends that each local authority sets up a governance structure bringing together the full range of public and private sector participants. He also stresses the need to closely involve the citizens – the end-users – in defining services and pooling “big data”, including personal data.
