HK netizens support smart city push

More than 50% of local internet users believe it is important for the government to transform Hong Kong into a smart city, according to a HKIRC survey.

Hong Kong internet users believe that a smart city transformation will help them save time (79.6%), enhance the quality of life (77.4%) and live green (62.4%).

HKIRC revealed the results of the survey at its eighth Digital Marketplace seminar at Cyberport last week, which had the theme of “Smart City Business ─ Shaping Our Future.”

At the event speakers from MTR, PwC Advisory Services, Future Impact Lab Limited, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, JOS, Realmax Hong Kong, Smart City Consortium, Cyberport and Octopus Cards shared their thoughts on various smart city topics.

The survey also showed that over 70% of respondents are interested in smart technologies in the near future.

Among those willing to spend 11% or more of their monthly incomes, 38.2% would like to spend on smart healthcare or education, 37.6% on smart living, 31% on smart safety, 29.2% on smart finance, 29% on smart mobility and 27.7% on smart utility.

HKIRC noted that this implies there is massive business potential for startups and enterprises in the emerging smart city technology space.

But despite seemingly strong support for smart city policies, respondents believe there is still plenty of room for improvements in terms of the breadth and depth of products and services in smart government, smart living, smart mobility and smart economy.

“The survey results echo the government’s spearhead action in Smart City development.” HKIRC chairman Simon Chan said.

“This year’s DMP demonstrates a strong demand from the public for Smart Technologies, and the business community is ready to launch products and solutions to meet the needs. We are happy to see that the city has started to emerge itself into a Smart City.”