TNO Deepens Collaboration with South Korea and Japan on Smart Cities
TNO’s recent visit to South Korea and Japan highlights shared challenges and opportunities in smart cities, sustainable mobility, and chip technology.
Strengthening Ties for a Technological Future
During the visit, TNO’s CEO Tjark Tjin-A-Tsoi underscored the collaborative spirit between the Netherlands, South Korea, and Japan. The trip focused on addressing mutual societal challenges and exploring technological opportunities. One of the key outcomes was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between TNO and the Smart City Institute Japan. This agreement aims to foster cooperation in ‘Sustainable Wellbeing,’ focusing on indicators like social cohesion to measure broad wellbeing.
Urban Strategy and Predictive Models
TNO aims to link these wellbeing indicators to its Urban Strategy models, which predict the impact of various measures on urban areas. This approach is particularly relevant in addressing issues related to the ageing population in both Japan and South Korea. Due to low reproduction rates, these countries face significant demographic challenges. Urbanization has made cities less family-friendly, further exacerbating the problem. TNO’s predictive models can help design more family-friendly urban environments, potentially alleviating some of these demographic issues.
Focus on Sustainable Mobility
Another critical area of cooperation is sustainable mobility. TNO’s projects on AI for autonomous driving systems, safety assessment, and motion sickness are pivotal in developing future mobility solutions. The collaboration includes joint research efforts to ensure that automated driving technology is safe and socially acceptable. TNO recognizes that current automated driving technologies are not yet ready for widespread deployment and advocates for a fundamental rethink in their development and validation processes.
The Role of AI in Smart Cities
Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a significant role in TNO’s vision for smart cities. The organization is involved in various projects that leverage AI to improve urban living conditions. For instance, the use of digital twins, which are virtual models of cities, allows for the simulation of different scenarios to find the most sustainable and livable solutions. This technology is already being implemented in cities like Hamburg, Munich, and Leipzig in Germany, where it helps in better planning and involving citizens more actively in the design process.
Future Prospects and Vision
Looking ahead, TNO’s collaboration with South Korea and Japan is expected to yield significant advancements in smart city technologies and sustainable urban development. The organization’s human-centered approach ensures that technological innovations align with societal needs and safety standards. TNO’s commitment to addressing global challenges through collaboration and innovation positions it as a leader in the smart cities domain.