Multi-functional Smart Lampposts Technical Advisory Ad Hoc Committee holds second meeting (with photo)

The Multi-functional Smart Lampposts Technical Advisory Ad Hoc Committee held its second meeting today (September 10).

At the meeting, members received a briefing by officers of the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, the Lands Department and the Transport Department on technologies and operation of smart devices in smart lampposts, including the technical scope and related privacy protection of four applications:

(1) Transmission of signals for positioning by RFID devices (activated function);
(2) Using cameras to take traffic snapshot images and releasing such images as open data (activated function);
(3) Assessment of average traffic speed and travel time with the aid of a Bluetooth traffic detector (function not activated); and
(4) Calculation of road traffic by different types of vehicles through the collection of vehicle licence plate numbers with the aid of cameras (function not activated).

Members had an in-depth discussion and made some initial recommendations on these functions in relation to technical applications, data handling and privacy protection, such as enhancing transparency and adopting alternative technologies.

To gain a more comprehensive view, members had a site visit to Shing Kai Road in Kai Tak to inspect the internal structure of smart lampposts and the smart devices after the meeting.

The Committee will continue to review other smart lamppost devices and functions in the next meeting.

The discussion papers for the Committee are available on the Multi-functional Smart Lampposts thematic webpage at www.ogcio.gov.hk/en/our_work/strategies/initiatives/smart_lampposts/.

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