Munich is pursuing an ambitious goal - to be at the forefront of digital technology.
Garbage cans obviously play an important role if they are intelligent.
Munich - Munich has worked its way up to second place in the current Smart City Index of 81 major German cities.
In order to keep catching up with Primus Hamburg, intelligent systems for rubbish bins and street lights are currently being tested relatively unnoticed in the city.
Munich tests intelligent trash cans
Since the beginning of 2020, the municipal street cleaning company has been carrying out an experiment together with the Stadtwerke (SWM) to create intelligent trash cans in public streets. The SWM initially used a garbage can in their area. Five different types of sensors that are currently on the market were tested. Some work with ultrasound, others with optical sensors. The sensor is connected to the radio network and reports the current level at regular intervals. There is also an alarm function. If the garbage can becomes significantly full outside of its reporting time, the sensor immediately sends out a warning.
Such a garbage can is actually a difficult case, explains the SWM press office.
“It is not evenly filled with bulk goods, but with very different things such as pizza boxes, handkerchiefs, coffee mugs and so on.” However, there are some of the sensors tested that would do well.
From the point of view of the municipal utilities, such intelligent garbage detectors could possibly also be used in recycling containers.
However, this would require more detailed tests.
The city must decide on the use of the level indicator when the evaluation of the test is available.
According to the Federal Association for the Digital Economy, Bitkom, a third of large cities are currently testing trash cans that measure their fill level and only need to be emptied when needed.
Many also try out this principle on old glass and old clothes containers.
Munich is experimenting with intelligent street lighting
And: Almost every second major German city is currently experimenting with intelligent street lighting.
Munich does that in Freiham.
If the path is used and a movement is recognized as a result, the light slowly becomes brighter to full brightness.
If no more movement is registered, the luminosity slowly decreases again.
However, the system is only suitable for paths with a very low frequency of use.
Otherwise, where there is a lot going on, the light would practically always be on at full brightness.
In Heidelberg, the sensors are also being tested for intelligent winter service with ice detection.
Smart City Index - what's behind it?
The Smart City Index is the digital ranking of major German cities, according to the website of the Federal Association for the Digital Economy Bitkom.
Bitkom Research experts record, check and qualify more than 11,000 data points in five categories - from online citizen services to sharing offers for mobility and intelligent traffic light systems to broadband availability.
The categories are administration, IT and communication, energy and environment, mobility and society.
In some categories, Munich still has room for improvement, as can be seen from the data.
This is how Munich scores in the smart city ranking
Administration - 15th place
IT and communication - 2nd place
Energy and Environment - 2nd place
Mobility - 2nd place
Society - 17th place
Munich's first solar-powered trash can is in the Hofgarten - since 2021 the wastepaper basket 2.0 has been thinking for itself.
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