Smart city tech can save every resident 125 hours a year

Anticipating that 2018 will be a breakthrough year for smart cities, Intel produced a report showing how these investments impact citizens' lives.

The study looks at 20 cities around the world across four key innovation areas: Mobility, health care, public safety, and productivity. It measures the benefits of these technologies -- such as improved public health and safer streets -- in terms of the time it can save citizens.

All told, the study found that implementations across these four areas led to 125 extra hours per citizen, per year.

More specifically, mobility-related technology such as integrated IoT-enabled infrastructure can save up to 60 hours a year for residents. Meanwhile, connected digital health services can save citizens almost 10 hours a year. Productivity tools like city apps and digital services can save citizens as much as 21 hours by simplifying a city's administrative tasks. Public safety implementations can offer nearly 35 hours saved per year with technologies that, for instance, help law enforcement and first responders.