Pandemic to reshape city resilience and technological investment, says report
24 Mar 2020by Sue Weekes: News editor, Smart Cities World
This is one of the messages in ABI Research’s whitepaper which looks at the current and future ramifications of COVID-19 across technologies and verticals, including smart cities.
The world as a whole and cities, in particular, must end “nothing can happen to us” mindsets and step up action around resilience in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, says ABI Research in a new whitepaper.
It lists investment in smart cities to support community resilience as one of the possible outcomes of the crisis and notes that the worldwide reaction to the pandemic will force companies to radically rethink how they operate and embrace technological investment.
Taking stock
The global tech market advisory firm has published a white paper Taking Stock of COVID-19: The Short- and Long-Term Ramifications on Technology and End Markets, which looks at the current and future ramifications of COVID-19 across technologies and verticals including smart cities, smart places and smart home as well as 5G core and edge networks, mobile networks, digital security and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Analysts also offer recommendations for weathering the storm and strategies to help organisations rebound and prosper after the pandemic has slowed.
In the longer term, technology will be a critical tool in the war against the unexpected.
The report states that bold decisions and technological investments could lead to outcomes such as:
a more concerted and widespread move to lights-out manufacturing
increased usage of autonomous materials handling and goods vehicles
a more integrated, diverse and coordinated supply chain
investment in smart cities to support community resilience
a move to virtual workspaces and practices.