Sidewalk Labs releases detailed report on Smart City proposal

Waterfront Toronto has more information to consider on the technological innovations planned for Alphabet Inc’s Smart City. Sidewalk Labs recently released a 483-page report, the “Digital Innovation Appendix” (DIA), which will be used to evaluate the project. The report was produced in efforts to combat criticism that the initial proposal was too abstract and unclear about data governing.

In the new document, Sidewalk Labs discussed their approach to integrating digital technology into planning. They also intend to have digitally enabled information alongside the City of Toronto’s formal process as a “step towards further defining how digital planning can work in concert with existing urban planning and city building efforts,” write Jacqueline Lu, digital innovation lead, and Jesse Shapins, director of urban design and digital innovation at Sidewalk Labs in a separate article summarizing the DIA.

The DIA also tackles concerns surrounding data use and privacy. Sidewalk Labs said, “we believe that a higher standard of data governance in cities is possible, and that the public should know how and why data is being collected and used in streets and public spaces.”

Kristina Verner, Waterfront Toronto’s vice president of innovation, told Reuters that Sidewalk’s latest document did a good job of satisfying the information needed for the evaluation of the project in the city’s Quayside area.

Earlier this month, Sidewalk Labs cleared a big hurdle after agreeing to reduce the size of the project from 190 acres to 12. They also agreed to give Waterfront Toronto control on all data and privacy matters and decided to move forward without city dollars for transit.

The evaluation by Waterfront Toronto is expected to wrap up in March next year, where more details are expected pending the approval of the project.

MBN

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