Technology
Brussels Launches 50+ Smart City Projects Targeting 2030 Goals
The City of Brussels pursues more than 50 initiatives under its 2023 strategy while regional efforts stay on hold.
How we reported this
The City of Brussels launched its Smart City strategy in March 2023 to reach a 2030 vision built on more than 50 projects spread across seven policy areas and five fundamental pillars.
That framework now drives concrete spending and modeling work even as the Brussels-Capital Region keeps its own Smart City plan suspended pending a redefinition after the integration of Paradigm into BOSA Brussels. Officials continue to advance city-level work because the March 2023 document already sets measurable targets for traffic, emissions and digital planning tools.
Traffic Sensors and Adaptive Lights
The city is directing €50 million over five years into smart traffic management that includes adaptive lights and real-time sensors. The spending aims to cut commute times by 15 percent and CO2 emissions by 20 percent by 2026 compared with 2019 levels. These changes focus on daily movement across Brussels streets rather than waiting for any regional restart.
Digital Twin and Local AI Tools
A Digital Twin of Brussels serves as one central piece, creating a 3D virtual model that combines IoT sensor data, satellite imagery and citizen feedback to test urban planning and mobility options. In the Laken neighborhood the MolenGeek Laken AI project opened on September 25 2024 with royal attendance, while the bAIcycle smartphone app lets residents classify bike-path conditions through citizen science. Both efforts sit inside the city strategy and operate independently of the frozen regional plan.
Next steps center on completing the traffic-sensor rollout and feeding fresh data into the Digital Twin so planners can test adjustments before physical changes occur. The city will continue to track progress against the original 2030 roadmap using the same seven policy areas already defined in the March 2023 document.