Do you remember watching the cartoon The Jetsons when you were young? Were you disappointed when you became an adult and weren’t in a flying car? If so, you are not alone!
Here’s the good news – we are closer than ever before to living like the Jetsons! If you have been paying attention to the rapid growth of smart cities, then you already know we are well on our way to utilizing technology to make our future cities better and smarter.
What are Smart Cities?
Smart cities are cities that make efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and resource consumption with the use of technology and the Internet.
CB Insights explains, “A city is considered to be ‘smart’ when it can collect and analyze mass quantities of data from a wide variety of industries, from urban planning to garbage collection. In a smart city, a complex network of interconnected sensors, devices, and software must be built and maintained.”
Essentially, smart cities use technology, the internet, and data to address issues and improve city infrastructures, transportation and mobility, public safety, and community engagement.
GoKid’s Participation in the Ion Smart Cities Accelerator Program in Houston
GoKid is proud to be selected as a participant in the Ion Smart Cities Accelerator program in Houston, Texas. This program aims at engaging startups, like GoKid, to solve some of Houston’s most prevalent challenges, such as mobility issues.
The program involves using IoT technology (“Internet of Things”) to make the city smarter – more efficient, resilient, and sustainable. The program is backed by Microsoft and Intel. Microsoft, in particular, has “invested [ed] $5B in IoT technology from 2018 to 2022, which will attempt to improve the technologies required for smart cities to function.” Houston is one of the cities that will benefit from Microsoft’s investment.
How GoKid is Helping Make Cities Smarter
As a leading innovator in carpooling technology, GoKid is doing its part to make cities smarter. Christine Galib, director of the Ion Smart Cities Accelerator, says, “We see GoKid really working with our schools here to make ridesharing safer. We really like them because they were a solution for the ridesharing challenge — a lot of parents who might need carpooling services don’t necessarily trust an Uber driving that they don’t know.”
As parents utilize GoKid, they are reducing traffic and congestion, lowering CO2 emissions, and keeping kids safer. Hence, GoKid is making cities, such as Houston, smarter.
Imagine a Future with Less Traffic and Safer Ridesharing
According to CB Insights, “Smart technology can be used to connect vehicles, infrastructure, public transit, and people to improve mobility and safety. Streets can be outfitted with sensors that can track data both on the roads and through citizens’ cars and smartphones in order to gain insights.”
If it sounds too good to be true, it isn’t. Cities like Amsterdam and Barcelona are already using smart transportation technology, and American cities are taking note. For instance, Houston is already calling itself “the smart city of the future” and has a clear vision. According to the Houston government website, “The City of Houston is using data and emerging tech to improve the quality of life for citizens, share information with the public, drive economic growth, and build a more inclusive society.”
Our future is looking more like The Jetsons – smarter and better for citizens and the environment.
