Smart Cities Initiatives

The Digital Transformation Strategy of Riyadh Municipality and Smart City Initiatives

The digital transformation strategy of Riyadh Municipality has laid the foundation for launching smart city initiatives through one of its key objectives: "Providing advanced use cases for operations by adopting emerging technologies and promoting innovation to enhance the municipal sector." Some of these initiatives have already been implemented, showing positive results and impacts, while efforts to develop innovative solutions for further progress continue. Key initiatives include:

Smart Neighborhood Monitoring

This initiative aims to build a smart monitoring system that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning to process moving images. It utilizes Internet of Things (IoT) technologies by collecting data from cameras installed in moving vehicles to establish a continuous city database. This database helps identify and address visual pollution and urban irregularities.

Smart Park Monitoring

The initiative focuses on establishing a sustainable smart system infrastructure using AI to manage operational processes, such as automatically detecting malfunctions and violations in parks. It trains AI systems on specific use cases to enhance efficiency and precision in monitoring park operations.

Smart Monitoring of Rainwater Drainage Networks

This initiative enables the municipality to improve the operation and maintenance of rainwater and stormwater drainage networks. It includes the installation of wireless sensors in critical areas of Riyadh to monitor water levels in real-time and alert the municipality to debris accumulation or emergencies. Data and alerts are displayed on a smart platform for effective decision-making.

Smart Waste Management Operations

This involves the creation of a smart platform to manage waste-related operational processes from the source to proper disposal. IoT technologies are used to track smart trucks and containers and analyze data. The platform helps reduce operational costs, improve service quality, and ensure sustainable environmental practices.

Detecting Visual Pollution Using AI and Drones

This initiative utilizes drones to capture high-resolution aerial images (up to 5 cm resolution) that can create base maps of natural landmarks and infrastructure. These maps are compared with approved plans to detect encroachments and identify visual pollution using AI-powered image analysis tools.

Smart Parks

This initiative focuses on developing Riyadh's parks by incorporating IoT and AI technologies to collect and analyze data for smarter, more sustainable management and operation of parks. Key elements of this initiative include:

• Smart Bins: Equipped with sensors to enhance waste management and promote sustainability.

• Smart Benches: Featuring technologies like solar power and wireless chargers to improve visitor experiences.

• Smart Camera Systems: Designed to prevent vandalism and enhance safety using AI algorithms.

• Smart Poles: Aimed at reducing electricity consumption and enhancing quality of life through sustainable lighting solutions.

Control Center

This initiative aims to enable Riyadh Municipality to manage smart public services and utilities through a central, cloud-based control center that contains an integrated and interconnected system for control and management, which integrates with systems in various municipalities and departments.

Environmental Monitoring

This initiative aims to establish environmental monitoring stations in more than one location, use cars that contain environmental monitoring devices to take measurements, and send them to the environmental monitoring station (such as temperature, humidity, pollution rate....etc).

Smart Parking

Launch of the First Phase of the General Parking Plan in Riyadh, As part of efforts to achieve urban development goals and enhance the concept of a smart city in Riyadh, the Riyadh Municipality has announced the launch of the first phase of the general parking plan. This initiative aims to regulate parking, reduce random and improper parking practices, and support urban growth in the capital.

This project is part of ongoing efforts to develop smart and sustainable parking solutions, utilizing advanced technologies to optimize space usage, improve traffic flow, and enhance the efficiency of public facilities, ultimately contributing to the transformation of Riyadh into a fully integrated smart city.

The initiative includes the implementation of smart parking solutions (Smart Parking), designed to guide users to available parking spaces when they are vacant, thereby saving time and effort while reducing parking congestion. This initiative has been realized through Riyadh Parking, which employs intelligent systems for real-time data analysis and integration with the city’s digital infrastructure, ensuring a balanced approach between urban growth demands and the needs of residents and visitors.

The plan is based on a unified vision aimed at enhancing the efficiency of public parking management through advanced smart systems. This initiative aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives, focusing on developing infrastructure and improving quality of life in smart cities.

Billboards Control

This initiative aims to monitor billboards in the streets through sensors to determine the used, the non-used, and the problems that occur to them.

These initiatives reflect Riyadh Municipality's vision of transforming the city into a global model for smart cities, while continuing to develop innovative solutions to improve quality of life and promote sustainability.

The Riyadh Municipality is striving to achieve a comprehensive digital transformation that supports the development of a smart city through several initiatives aligned with the principles of "Digital-by-Default,", "Digital-by-Design"," and "Digital-First" Below are the key initiatives categorized according to these principles:

Digital-by-Default Initiatives    

These initiatives focus on making digital services the primary option for municipal transactions while keeping traditional channels available when necessary.

• Comprehensive E-Services Platform: The Riyadh Municipality provides an integrated online portal that allows citizens to complete their transactions digitally, reducing reliance on paper-based procedures and enhancing efficiency.

• Smart Parking Project: In partnership with Solutions by STC, the Municipality has launched a digital parking management system designed to improve urban mobility and reduce congestion through electronic payment and smart monitoring solutions.

Digital-by-Design Initiatives  

These initiatives integrate digital solutions from the early stages of service design, ensuring seamless integration with government operations rather than being added later.

• Madinaty Smart City Management Platform: Launched during the Global AI Summit, this platform leverages generative AI and advanced technologies to optimize urban management and city planning.

Digital-First Initiatives

These initiatives encourage citizens to adopt digital solutions as the primary choice while ensuring traditional alternatives remain available when needed.

• Digital Map for Building Regulations and Land Use: This electronic service enables citizens and businesses to access detailed land information, including building regulations and permitted land uses, without the need to visit municipal offices. Map Link

• Open Data Platform: The Municipality provides an open data portal, granting citizens and businesses access to municipal data to promote transparency, innovation, and research. Platform Link

15 Minute indicator

The Riyadh Region Municipality continues to innovate digital solutions to enhance the quality of life in the capital. It has launched the “15 Minute indicator” service within the “Mycity” app, enabling residents to identify daily services accessible within 15 minutes from their locations.  

This service is part of Riyadh’s digital transformation strategy, aimed at developing smart infrastructure that facilitates access to services and promotes sustainable urban development, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.  

The app provides a wide range of services, including more than 33,000 daily services, over 11,000 restaurants and cafés, more than 5,500 mosques and schools, over 3,000 bus and train stations, as well as more than 670 healthcare services and over 1,300 parks and clubs. This contributes to improving the quality of life and enhancing the concept of smart cities in the capital.  

The municipality is working on expanding the scope of innovative digital solutions to enable residents to enjoy a more efficient and seamless urban experience while leveraging technology to enhance urban living patterns.

These initiatives reflect the Riyadh Municipality’s commitment to leveraging digital technology to enhance service delivery, improve transparency, and elevate the quality of life for city residents.