G4S Serbia successfully developed the Smart City project in Pančevo and expects improvements to transportation, energy efficiency, and public services through the deployment of its smart solutions
Serbia has been evolving rapidly in recent years, embracing the concept of smart cities and thus entering a new era of innovation and technological advancement, says MD Dawid Sold, before explaining that smart infrastructure is a natural spin-off of the traditional electronic security systems that represent the main area of G4S’s expertise.
Could you elaborate on how smart cities are impacting Serbia positively?
— Smart cities leverage technology and data to enhance quality of life for residents, improve efficiency in resource management, and promote sustainability. Recently, G4S Serbia successfully developed the Smart City project in Pančevo. We expect significant improvements in areas such as transportation, energy efficiency, and public services, through the deployment of smart solutions. For example, the implementation of smart traffic management systems aims to reduce congestion and air pollution, thus improving the overall livability of these urban spaces.
Weather stations enable the control of multiple factors, such as air pollution, temperature, or wind speed that enables proactive safety protocols. The sewage control system monitors and prevents potential flooding, CCTV allows for the integration of all of the above, and provides for the fast and timely video verification of potential threats.
How have smart buildings contributed to the evolution of smart cities in Serbia?
— Smart buildings play a crucial role in the overall ecosystem of smart cities by optimizing energy consumption, enhancing occupant comfort, facilitating efficient operations by AI-driven analytics, and reducing maintenance costs.
The implementation of smart traffic management systems aims to reduce congestion and air pollution, thus improving the overall livability of these urban spaces
Our sister company, Beveco, specializes in the integration and automation of building systems for security, safety, and comfort. The great advantage of Beveco solutions is that they allow for the optimization of existing and new installations with multiple vendor support. We are developing the first projects in Belgrade and hope to have the first pilots implemented soon.
When it comes to AI, how has it influenced the development of security?
— G4S Serbia, together with one of the major banks, launched an AI-based security solution that analyzes vast amounts of data collected from various sources, such as CCTV, IoT devices, and other sensors. This allows AI to deploy proactive security measures instead of the old-style reactive approach. Our solution enables real-time analysis of security threats and two-way communication from a remote monitoring center. All of this happens with the highest standards of data privacy and GDPR compliance.
How do you see the future of smart infrastructure evolving in Serbia?
— EXPO 2027 will serve as a catalyst to boost the development of smart cities and smart infrastructure initiatives in Serbia. The infrastructure and technological investments made for hosting the Expo will leave a lasting legacy. This will include new transportation systems, sustainable energy solutions, digital infrastructure, and other improvements that contribute to the development of smart cities across the country.