Building a Smart City as Learned from Makassar

Technology has changed the way citizens live their lives and technologies in a Smart City program is going to change that even more. Increasingly, cities are setting their sights on how they can utilize technology to streamline and automate all the processes that emerge from urbanization, from bringing wireless networks to new places to collecting data through IoT enabled devices.

In Indonesia, Makassar is one of the best examples of effective technology utilization to build a Smart City. In the largest city of Sulawesi Island, technology and local wisdom is a perfect combination to offer solutions to issues affecting the city, including unemployment, infrastructure, healthcare provision, and traffic management. Let’s take a look at why Makassar often called the smartest city in Indonesia.

Creating Innovative Apps

As a part of a collaboration between Makassar and Microsoft Indonesia, the city’s Hasanuddin University hosted CityApp “appathon,” a collective of apps where up to 400 students from different high schools and universities in Makassar collaborate to find solutions to challenges facing their city. Among the apps created by the students was one that aimed at tackling unemployment by showing training and job opportunities in the database. Another one, “Super Ambulance,” enables citizens to have instant access to ambulances and urgent medical care.

Reducing Traffic Congestion

With around a quarter of a million vehicles, Makassar’s traffic congestion is a huge issue for the local government. To tackle the issue, the city developed a public transport system called Pete-Pete Smart, consisting of a modern float of mini-buses equipped with WiFi, GPS, air conditioning and a capacity of 12 seated passengers, 4 stands, and 1 disabled space. Through a control center, the vehicles can be monitored centrally and collected data can be used to cut traffic congestion and encourage citizens to use public transport instead.

Smart Cards in Schools

In order to improve the local education sector, the government has introduced smart cards in schools that allow parents to track students’ activities and ensure class attendance. Instead of manually checking students’ attendance by teachers, students scan the card to enter and leave school, and access libraries and transportation. Parents also get notifications on their mobile phones via SMS of these activities.

Operational Vehicle Fleet Monitoring

In 2019, the Makassar government started a collaboration with Telkomsel IoT to implement an IoT-based fleet monitoring solution to ease their operational vehicle monitoring processes. Telkomsel IoT FleetSight offers the latest IoT solutions for moving assets, including monitoring and controlling vehicle fleet by integrating telematics devices with sensors on vehicles. Driven by the need to provide better safety for drivers on the road, Telkomsel IoT FleetSight added 2 new features: Driver Status Monitor (DSM), an advanced driver behavior warning AI mechanism, and Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), a real-time situation detector and warning system. With Telkomsel IoT FleetSight, the Makassar government can now get insights or data about the best routes, vehicle usage hours, driver behavior and speed limit, increasing their overall security, effectiveness, and operational efficiencies that cover every area in Makassar.

Chances are the city we are in is already incorporating a number of IoT and networking solutions to improve operations. However, the difference between that and a Smart City comes down to big vision and careful planning. Visit https://telkomseliot.com/ and see how Telkomsel FleetSight can improve your enterprise and help you take the appropriate actions to build a Smart City.