The Future Enterprise Awards, organized and promoted by International Data Corporation (IDC), recognized the Hsinchu County Government this year for its “Smart Traffic Management and Control System Project for the Zhubei Interchange Area”, awarding it the Special Award for Smart Cities - Best in Connected City. Hsinchu County was the only non-municipal government to receive this award, highlighting the county government’s leadership in smart city governance and digital initiatives, as well as its international recognition.
The Future Enterprise Awards is now in its seventh year and is designed to recognize outstanding enterprises and projects in the field of digital transformation in the Asia-Pacific region. The award process involves two stages, with winners selected at both the national and regional levels. IDC presented the awards to the winners in Taiwan during the IDC 2023 DX Summit, which was held at the Humble House Taipei on October 19. Representatives from the Hsinchu County Government, including Director Dai Chih-chun of the Transportation and Tourism Department and Director Chou Chiu-yao of the General Affairs Department, were in attendance to receive the award. The award was presented by Helen Chiang, General Manager of IDC Taiwan, and received on stage by Chou Chiu-yao on behalf of the Hsinchu County Government.
The award-winning project in Hsinchu County involves inter-governmental cooperation to promote smart traffic management. This initiative aims to alleviate traffic congestion in the Hsinchu Science Park commuting corridor. Since its inception in 2021, it has successfully reduced travel time by 18–21%, thereby enhancing road safety. In recent years, Hsinchu County has received recognition for its achievements in smart traffic management. The Zhubei Interchange Smart Traffic project, which won this award, utilizes eTag technology, cameras, and traffic flow detection equipment to analyze real-time traffic data. It incorporates data from the eTag’s ETC-based Vehicle Probe for travel time and congestion information, along with traditional vehicle detectors for dynamic signal control in the region. By employing a network-based cooperative control concept, it disseminates information about alternative parallel routes, improving traffic congestion relief efficiency. This project has become an important initiative of the Hsinchu County Government due to its profound effect on the daily lives of residents.
Director Chou Chiu-yao of the General Affairs Department mentioned that Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke led the county government team in streamlining 126 unnecessary procedures and attachments in August of this year, making government services more convenient. They implemented My Data, allowing citizens to enroll their children in public and nonprofit kindergartens online. The county also made over 600 datasets available through Open Data and promoted smart traffic signal control. These efforts earned Hsinchu County the 2023 Smart City Outstanding Contribution Award in the “Smart Governance” category. Now, as the year draws to a close, Hsinchu County has once again received recognition for its efforts in advancing smart traffic management.
This year’s award demonstrates that the Hsinchu County Government’s leadership in smart city governance has received international recognition. In the future, Hsinchu County will continue to focus on innovation and collaboration with academia, industry, and research sectors to pursue its vision of becoming a “Technology Capital and a Place of Happiness”.