The City of San Diego announced a major Internet of Things (IoT) deployment this week in collaboration with Current, powered by GE. The deployment will include 3,200 “intelligent nodes” that enhance parking, alleviate traffic and improve liveability in the city.
In addition to the huge sensor deployment, Current will also install 14,000 new LED lights in the city; around 25 percent of all outdoor lighting in the city. The upgrades will reportedly save San Diego $2.4 million in annual energy costs.
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GE has partnered with AT&T and Intel to ensure a smooth deployment. AT&T will provide the LTE network that connects all of the sensors to the IoT grid, and Intel’s Atom E3900 processor will be inside all of the LED light fixtures.
The company has also partnered with some smaller startups, such as ShotSpotter, which has developed a technology to locate the sound of a gunshot in real-time. CivicSmart has an application that makes parking a much less time consumer experience.
“Fostering innovation and improving infrastructure are important to enhancing the lives of all San Diegans,” said San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer. “This new technology will give the City and developers the opportunity to make our neighborhoods safer and smarter.”
San Diego will spend $30 million on the IoT platform deployment, in the hopes that its citizens will reap the rewards of a safer, smarter, and more secure city.
“We’re honored to be part of this historic transformation,” said Maryrose Sylvester, President & CEO of Current. “We have a proud history of helping San Diego proactively save energy through efficient lighting, and now we’re expanding that same infrastructure beyond energy into a new realm of intelligence.”
Installation of the LED fixtures is expected to start in July, with the rest of the project beginning by the end of the year. Once deployed, the city of San Diego hopes that the software community will build on the IoT platform.
