Page 5 - A U4SSC deliverable - Accelerating city transformation using frontier technologies

Executive Summary

The United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative is a global platform dedicated to supporting
cities in becoming smarter and more sustainable. The U4SSC is coordinated by the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and the
United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) with the support of 14 other UN bodies.

Frontier technologies provide cities with an innovatory opportunity to expedite their transformation
to unique cyber-physical systems, capitalising on data exchange among heterogeneous agents, while
encapsulating the concepts of “smartness” and “sustainability” in their operations. To this end, the
transformative potential of frontier technologies is exemplified in their ability to reshape the way cities
provide services and meet citizens’ needs.

This report aims to shed light on the impact of frontier technologies in cities and on citizens. In this
context, it delves into a series of frontier technologies including: artificial intelligence; Internet of things
(IoT); digital twin; unmanned aerial vehicles/drones; wearable technology; and virtual/augmented
reality. The impact of each technology is highlighted in the corresponding sections and a set of common
challenges have been identified.

This report will first provide insights into the current urbanisation trends and provide an overview of
the importance of connecting cities with the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The deliverable
will conclude by highlighting the technical challenges that cities are still facing when implementing
frontier technologies and the pivotal role of standardisation in addressing these challenges.

Accelerating city transformation using frontier technologies | A U4SSC deliverable iii