The good news for developers and manufacturers of smart technology solutions is that there is a keen interest in smart technology innovations, whether for home or urban use. The majority of survey participants (90%) in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region indicated that they anticipate at least one new kind of smart technology.
EMEA users enjoy smart home innovations such as home security cameras (36%), entertainment streaming services (35%) and lighting / heating controls (35%). At the same time, in the field of smart urban infrastructure, interest is primarily attracted by charging stations for electric cars (39%), unmanned vehicles (38%) and security cameras (37%).
Among the main advantages of CCTV cameras, consumers single out ensuring their own security (52%) and reducing the crime rate (40%). A similar situation is with smart cameras on highways, the main advantages of which were called safety (46%) and crime reduction (28%). Efficient and responsive storage is certainly one of the conditions for realizing these benefits.
Western Digital Business Development Director for Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI) Davide Villa commented:
“One of the biggest challenges the storage industry faces in the context of CCTV cameras is that these cameras are always on. Because of this, storage technologies must meet this workload, ensuring the reliable transmission of large amounts of data and the high write speed required to store and analyze high quality video. ”
In addition, the study revealed a clear gap between consumer awareness of smart technology applications, their willingness to use them, and the level of adoption of such products. On average, 83% of respondents in Europe and the Middle East are familiar with infrastructure solutions based on smart technologies for home use, and 81% of respondents are also aware of such technologies for a smart city. However, when it comes to their practical application, only 35% have used smart technologies at home, and 31% have had contact with smart technologies in the city.
Geographically, Russian consumers are in the middle of a group surveyed to determine their awareness of smart home technologies (87%) and smart cities (85%). In terms of using these technologies, the result is as follows: 35% for a smart home and 38% for a smart city.
The study found that a possible barrier to wider use is a lack of understanding of how user data is recorded, stored and used. Only 12% of Russian users believe that they know more than others about recording personal data; this highlights a general lack of understanding and the need to receive appropriate clarification from smart technology solution providers about the use of data in order to increase the transparency of such use.
Moreover, users have expressed concern about the risk associated with the transfer of their data; according to a study by Western Digital, 24% of Russian users do not believe organizations will be able to keep personal data safe.
When asked about their priorities in terms of managing and storing data obtained using smart technologies, Russian users indicated that the following aspects are most important to them:
- data protection from leaks or hacks - 84%;
- data storage on safe and reliable drives - 83%;
- compliance with these standards - 83%;
- compliance of data with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - 77%.
Davide Villa added:
“The next few years should be a great time for smart technology providers. The market is growing, consumers are eagerly awaiting new products, but this progress and the benefits to be derived from it are hampered by knowledge gaps in the smart infrastructure. ”
“Local SDHs and cryptography can play a leading role in bridging the knowledge gap. Raising consumer awareness of how solutions such as custom storage devices work will give them back control of their data when using smart home technologies. What's more, deploying the right infrastructure and implementing the right storage technologies, coupled with then alerting users to what has been done, will help customers feel their information is more secure and remove the doubts that these new technologies have created. Because there is definitely a desire on the part of users. "
Methodology
Together with London-based agency Loudhouse, Western Digital conducted 6,084 interviews with citizens of the UK, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, UAE and Saudi Arabia in order to find out their level of awareness and opinion on the development of smart infrastructure for the home, cities and towns.
The full case study on smart infrastructure can be found here