A study involving South Australian households has found most people don’t understand the concept of smart cities, or have never heard of the term.
University of South Australia researchers say the study underlines the failure of local governments to explain the value of the smart city concept to residents.
More than 200 SA residents completed questionnaires, with 45 per cent having never heard of the term ‘smart city’, and 54 per cent admitting to not understanding the concept.
The researchers say the failure to achieve cut-through with residents is a serious issue for authorities, given residents are at the core of any smart city.