The city of the future must not only be smart, but also social

Smart cities. A future in which issues such as town planning, administration, energy supply, mobility in networks are interconnected. With smart lighting columns that respond to movement and smart buildings that help save energy. A society in which carpooling is a daily routine. Durable and ecological. With a clear role for artificial intelligence to coordinate all these systems as easily as possible. But where is the man?

These fundamental social and ethical questions are discussed in an initiative of the Volkswagen Foundation entitled “Artificial intelligence – its impact on the society of tomorrow”. The answers to these questions are to be found in eight interdisciplinary projects.

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One of these projects is placed with scientists from Mannheim University in collaboration with the Media College in Stuttgart and the Ludwig Maximilians University Munich (LMU).

The interdisciplinary project is led by Prof. Heiner Stuckenschmidt, Chair of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Along with his colleagues (Professor Frauke Kreuter, sociologist and co-director of the Mannheim Data Science Center, who will take the chair of statistics and data science at LMU on April 1) and Professor Kai Eckert of the media University) the opportunities and risks associated with the use of intelligent systems in traffic planning in the metropolitan area around the cities of Mannheim, Heidelberg and Ludwigshafen.

Equal opportunities

Scientists wish to study two practical applications in collaboration with practical partners in this region. For example, they want to see what IoT sensors can mean for traffic regulation. For example, the use of parking spaces can be intelligently optimized.

Another important point is the impact of AI systems on socio-economic inequalities in a city. According to them, this applies, for example, to dynamic pricing of parking spaces in cities. So tired for better use. It also encourages more people to leave their cars behind.

Such traffic control systems in cities are already being planned in several places. The advantages are obvious here. If traffic flows better and there is less congestion, there will be less exhaust and air quality will improve. On the other hand, however, parking could easily become more expensive, which would particularly disadvantage lower income groups. In addition, project scientists wish to study “how social AI systems can create equal opportunities for all income classes to participate in urban life”.