Munich once again earns the title of Germany's "intelligent" city.
Munich continues to dominate the "Urban Tech Excellence" listing, published annually by the tech industry organization ITG, placing first ahead of Hamburg and Düsseldorf. This ranking appraises the digital advancement of significant cities in Germany. The evaluation encompasses various sectors, including governance, digital technology and connectivity, energy and ecology, transportation, and community and culture.
Munich earns an impressive 88.3 out of a max 100 points (augmented by 3.8 points) across all categories in this year's assessment. Hamburg escalates by 2.3 points, rising from 83.9 to 86.2 points, yet still trails behind in the race for the top spot. Interestingly, despite securing the highest grade for its innovatively smart transportation facilities, Berlin falls to 28th position among the 82 analyzed urban areas globally.
Munich excels due to its robust digital infrastructure, boasting extensive 5G mobile coverage and ultra-fast gigabit internet access, with only a few exceptions. Moreover, Munich leads in fiber optic expansion. The city adds points in the domains of digital governance and top marks in mobility, society, and education. Despite a larger disparity with Munich, Hamburg has not deteriorated compared to its previous standing, according to ITG President Ralf Wintergerst. "However, Munich demonstrated more momentum."
Ingolstadt in the Lead for E-Car Charging Stations
Cologne shines in the governance segment. Ingolstadt surpasses its competitors in the ecology and energy field. Located in Bavaria, Ingolstadt boasts the highest concentration of electric vehicle charging stations and manages an advanced environmental monitoring system that leverages intelligent sensors to gauge air quality, soil moisture, and more. Düsseldorf seizes the top spot in the society category, with the highest scores clinched in the education domain due to the deployment of a digitalization officer and a concept for digital transformation in all educational institutions.
Siegen (ranked 68th, dropping 18 places), Hildesheim (79th, losing 4 spots), and the index's most significant downfall, Salzgitter (82nd, sliding 5 places), have taken a step back. ITG also pinpoints areas for improvement in Erlangen, Offenbach, and Rostock. Conversely, Dresden demonstrates exceptional progress (5th, up by 1).
Usually, the Smart City Index evaluates all 83 cities in Germany with a population of about 100,000 individuals or more. Regrettably, Magdeburg was omitted from this year's analysis due to the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt's decision to decline participation in the study. ITG Research compiles, verifies, and categorizes a grand total of 13,284 data points for the ranking.
Elements such as internet services for citizens, shared facilities, environmental sensors, and broadband coverage availability are among the key considerations. Other factors include the status of a digital strategy for schools, the proportion of electric vehicles in registered vehicles, the growth in charging infrastructure, and the availability of low-emission buses across public transportation systems are also considered.
The Commission, guided by the principles outlined in Article 113, could possibly adopt implementing acts to strengthen the digital infrastructure in cities, improving access to 5G mobile coverage and ultra-fast internet, similar to Munich's strategy. Recognizing Ingolstadt's leadership in the ecology and energy field, particularly its high concentration of electric vehicle charging stations, the Commission could consider incentives to encourage more cities to adopt sustainable energy solutions.
