Internet of Too Many Things in Smart Transport: The Problem, The Side Effects and The Solution

The Internet of Things (IoT) involves embedding electronics, software, sensors, and actuators into physical devices, such as vehicles, buildings, and a wide range of smart devices. Network connectivity allows IoT devices to collect and exchange data. The prevalence of IoT devices has increased rapidly in last five years, driven by cheaper electronics and a desire to monitor and control the physical world. We introduce the concept of IoT flood to describe the increased use of IoT devices. Just like the data deluge, the IoT flood has potential benefits and risks. This paper focuses on the hidden side effects of the increased usage of IoT, such as energy consumption, physical pollution, radiation, and health issues. We indicate that an evaluation system with carefully designed metrics reflecting the impact of IoT flood with input from academic, industry, and government is required. We propose some practical measures that can reduce the IoT flood, such as common platforms and data sharing to reduce the side effects. This paper demonstrates the IoT flood problem and potential solutions by examining the intelligent transport system domain where IoT is being deployed to solve problems related to time efficiency and energy consumption through smart mobility.