2 days ago
Naver builds digital twin platform for Saudi smart city project
Korean internet giant Naver said Tuesday that it has completed the construction of a large-scale digital twin platform for three major cities in Saudi Arabia -- Mecca, Medina and Jeddah -- as part of the Middle Eastern nation's smart city ambitions.
A digital twin is a virtual replica of a real-world place that uses high-resolution 3D models to help plan and manage cities more effectively.
The newly created platform spans about 6,800 square kilometers -- more than 11 times the size of Seoul -- and incorporates data on over 920,000 buildings. It combines ultra-high-resolution 3D imagery with real-time data streams, enabling urban planners, engineers and administrators in Saudi Arabia to optimize city management and development.
The platform offers a range of analytical features based on 3D modeling, including terrain analysis for land grading and slope measurement, skyline and sunlight exposure analysis for landscape, and view assessments and simulations for natural disasters such as flooding. It also allows for real-time integration of building design data to verify compliance with local construction regulations.
The project is spearheaded by Balady, Saudi Arabia's urban development authority, which plans to expand the digital twin platform to additional cities across the country.
'We will continue to enhance the platform in collaboration with local partners, broaden its geographical coverage and discover new use cases,' said Han Sang-young, leader of global DX and innovation at Naver.
Naver secured the project from Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing in October 2023, with full-scale development commencing in July last year.
Last month, Naver Cloud and NHC Innovation -- the digital arm of Saudi Arabia's National Housing Company -- launched a joint venture called Naver Innovation. The new entity will lead projects including the development of a map-based super application and further expansion of digital twin-based services in the region.
