Shenzhen was awarded the prestigious "City Award," the top honor of the World Smart City Awards, at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona on Thursday, standing out among 429 cities from 64 countries and regions. This recognition highlights Shenzhen’s global leadership in effectively managing the complexities of a mega city.

The “City Award” is awarded to a single city annually. Shan Zhiguang, director of the Information and Industrial Development Department of the National Information Center and director of the Smart City Development Research Center, said the World Smart City Awards is widely regarded as the top accolade — akin to the “Oscars” — within the smart cities domain.

“Shenzhen’s winning of this award signifies the international community’s profound appreciation for Shenzhen’s smart city initiatives, digitalization endeavors, and intelligent transformations,” said Shan.

The congress lauded Shenzhen for its comprehensive display of innovations and exemplary solutions across key areas such as enabling technologies, transportation, energy and environment, governance, industry and economy, livability and inclusiveness, and infrastructure and construction. Leveraging distinct urban development philosophies, Shenzhen has crafted an intelligent and people-centric digital city.

Parking solution

Parking dilemmas have long plagued drivers, especially in bustling urban centers such as Shenzhen, which is home to more than 20 million residents. The problem intensifies during time-sensitive situations, such as school runs or hospital visits, when drivers must navigate crowded parking lots or wait for spaces to open.

Amid this urban challenge, a Luohu resident surnamed Chen, who works in the Futian CBD, appreciates the convenience of smart parking features, including parking lot searches, reservations, and staggered parking times, which are accessible via the “i深圳” (iShenzhen) app. This innovative app has notably eased Chen’s commute between Luohu, a district characterized by older facilities and limited parking, and the bustling Futian CBD.

The smart parking service, launched a month ago with access to 8,921 commercial parking lots across the city, has simplified parking for residents like Chen. “These features have notably alleviated my parking frustrations,” Chen said. With the help of this app, Chen can effortlessly track available parking spaces and swiftly navigate to them.

Additionally, the platform provides access to 128,000 parking spots across 526 lots that offer discounted “staggered-hour parking” options. For instance, the Nanshan E-Valley Industrial Park now allows urban villagers to park there at night, generating an extra 100,000 yuan in monthly revenue for management.

Smart parking initiatives exemplify Shenzhen’s commitment to deploying cutting-edge technologies to improve residents’ quality of life. According to the Shenzhen Administrative Service and Data Management Bureau, the official government service app “i深圳” provides a comprehensive range of services for residents, covering needs from birth through end of life, including healthcare, education, transportation, and more. Over 95% of government services for individuals are now accessible through the app.

The “i深圳” (iShenzhen) app simplifies administrative tasks, allowing users to manage personal affairs online, from ID cards and driver’s licenses to over 400 other electronic certificates, all conveniently stored in a digital pouch for use in scenarios like travel and medical consultations.

The app’s international version caters to users in nine languages, offering policy updates, city information, travel services, and expat-oriented administrative services. With over 20 million registered users and 7 billion service requests completed, the app exemplifies convenient governance in Shenzhen.

In recent years, Shenzhen has made substantial strides in developing a digital twin city — a virtual model of the physical city that provides real-time data and insights to improve urban management and planning — and advancing artificial intelligence to embed smart technology across the urban landscape.

Shenzhen’s digital twin foundation features detailed BIM models of nearly 10,000 key buildings. This framework supports extensive digital twin datasets that power over 200 application scenarios, which range from water management and power systems to Metro line planning. Key areas like Houhai, Xiangmihu, and Guangming Science City showcase these deployments, visually presenting complex spatial plans that aid urban design and enhance Shenzhen’s smart city infrastructure.

Smart transport scenarios in Qianhai

During the congress, Qianhai was highlighted as a prime example of smart city development. A fleet of 20 driverless minibuses equipped with L4 autonomous driving capabilities was launched in Qianhai this July. Outfitted with high-precision cameras, millimeter-wave radar, and laser radar, the buses can identify lane markings and traffic signals, safely overtake other vehicles, change lanes, and adeptly maneuver through complex urban environments.

Operated by the Shenzhen Bus Group, this driverless minibus fleet is the city’s first venture into autonomous public transportation. Currently, there are four designated routes covering the Qianhai area. Commuters can board these minibuses by scanning a QR code through the WeChat mini-program “乘车码” (Ride Code).

Beyond driverless buses, residents are enjoying the benefits of intelligent transportation services via the PonyPilot+ app offered by Pony.ai. Through this app, users can request a robotaxi by specifying their pickup and drop-off locations. Pony.ai currently services passengers in Houhai, the Nanshan CBD, and the Bao’an CBD from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

At the Mawan Port, automation systems oversee container operations — from unloading ships to loading driverless cargo trucks. Leveraging 5G technology and the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, containers are efficiently transported to assigned yards and moved into designated areas by gantry cranes.

Smart Metro

Before the end of the year, five new Metro line extensions will open, expanding the city’s Metro network by an additional 28 kilometers and bringing the total to 567 kilometers. Over the next four years, the network is slated to expand to 840 kilometers.

As the city’s Metro network grows, advancements in project construction, operations, and management have set new industry standards. According to the Shenzhen Metro Group, the extended segments of lines 7, 11, and 12 will introduce an innovative, automatic ticket-checking system that features “1-meter-long turnstiles” equipped with visual pass detection and guidance modules.

This visual detection system will enhance passenger safety and convenience. Line 11’s extension will introduce virtual ticket vending machines that are capable of issuing virtual tickets, thereby reducing physical machines and operating costs.

When the Shuanglong Station to Liulian Station extension of Line 3 opens later this year, passengers can expect lighter and more user-friendly trains. These new trains, crafted from high-strength, lightweight, fully-welded aluminum alloy, have increased passenger capacity. Furthermore, they are equipped with an integrated track and tunnel detection system, ensuring a safe operational environment and providing technical support for track and tunnel equipment within the detection range.

About the Smart City Expo World Congress

The Smart City Expo World Congress stands as a premier event dedicated to the advancement of smart cities. It brings together experts, industry titans, policymakers, and innovators from across the globe to explore and spotlight the newest trends, solutions, and technologies within the smart city sector.

This prestigious congress offers attendees a platform to engage in conferences, workshops, and exhibitions that delve into a broad spectrum of topics pertinent to smart city growth.

Taking place yearly since 2011, the Smart City Expo World Congress garners backing from esteemed international and regional entities like UN-Habitat, the World Economic Forum, the World Bank, C40, and the European Union.

In its 2024 edition, held in Barcelona and themed “Live Better,” the congress drew delegations from 850 cities across 146 countries, further solidifying its status as a pivotal global gathering in the smart city arena.