Widespread adoption of digital technology including drones, intelligent sensors and robotics would have significant impact on critical infrastructure in Italy, TIM outlined in a report, citing reduced operating costs and improved reliability.

In the TIM Research Centre’s smart infrastructure report, it highlighted the potential for predictive maintenance of water and energy networks, and benefits from real-time monitoring of roads among its examples.

It argued AI, IoT and related technology would be able to transform infrastructure to make it more efficient, cut waste and deliver greater resilience.

In a statement accompanying the report, Telecom Italia noted the importance of 5G and advanced cybersecurity in supporting these digital technologies.

It predicted the use of smart monitoring systems in the road network could prevent up to 27 per cent of issues with the “oldest structures” and cut overall operating costs of tunnels, bridges, roads and related civil works by up to 31 per cent.

For electricity grids, IoT sensors and management platforms were positioned as having the potential to optimise distribution, up reliability and cut costs by almost €700 million per year.

It also noted “the transformation of electricity grids from the centralised to the smart grid model would increasingly allow the integration of energy from renewable sources”.

The water segment was tipped to generate savings to the tune of €2.6 billion by 2030 from consumption monitoring and detecting hidden faults in real time using smart meters and advanced monitoring systems.

TIM chief enterprise and innovative solutions officer Elio Schiavo stated the “digital challenge of Italian infrastructure can no longer be postponed”, adding “investing in its digitalisation guarantees security, efficiency and sustainability, allowing us to transform our country into a smart land, an essential step for the development of Italy”.

The report was put together in collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, Osservatori Digital Innovation of Politecnico di Milano and Comtel Innovation.