Local city council initiatives on smart IoT cities in the last year passed unnoticed to most Brits.
96% of people in the UK said they are not aware of any "smart city" plans where they live, according to a survey by Arqiva and YouGov.
The study found that 23% of those surveyed were unclear on any one main benefit from smart cities, while 29% said they think the greatest benefit of a ‘connected city’ would be a better living environment for residents
Traffic congestion was identified by 57% of respondents as a problem, while 33% said smart technology spending is a priority.
Parking technology drew priority support from 7% of British adults, despite parking being considered an issue by 43%.
Millennials are at the forefront of the smart city movement, with 37% of 18-24 year olds claiming to be passionate about their nearest city becoming smart. 33% said they would consider moving to another city if it was smarter than their own.
Sean Weir, Business Development Director of Smart Metering and M2M at Arqiva said: "Without the proper support these initiatives will die on their feet, so far greater communication is needed on what exactly is happening and why people should care.
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"Councils desperately need to find a way to harness the enthusiasm of the tech-savvy younger generation.
"If done correctly, they create powerful advocates to spread awareness – if done wrong, and they risk their city’s economic future."
