China’s Wuxi Innovation Zone Picks SAS For IoT Analytics

The Wuxi High-Tech Zone recently chose U.S.-based SAS Institute to be its strategic analytics partner for all things Internet of Things (IoT).

The Wuxi zone, which is located in Jiangsu province on China’s east coast, is a focal point of technological innovation in the region.

The agreement with North Carolina-headquartered SAS will strengthen Wuxi’s IoT capabilities as it expands in smart cities and other areas. It was announced this week at the SAS Analytics Experience conference in San Diego.

See also: IoT analytics — from data integration to actionable insights

A key draw of SAS’s technology is that its IoT analytics are embedded with machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities. These emerging technologies allow smart cities to process the tsunami of data produced by the ever-increasing number of sensors and internet-enabled devices festooning modern metropolises.

“The connected devices, citizens and environments generate an enormous volume of diverse data that must be analyzed at the edge to drive accurate, real-time decision making,” said SAS Vice President of IoT Jason Mann. “Smart cities are built on strategic layers of complementary technologies – smart electrical grids that help manage energy use; connected vehicles that keep drivers safe; connected traffic lights and public transportation systems that keep traffic on schedule; and connected buildings that help owners manage temperature, air quality and lighting.”

The IoT analytics market is expected to reach more than $23 billion by 2020, according to research by industry analyst company IDC. This market will address the data generated by the 20.4 billion IoT connected devices IDC estimates will be active worldwide by then.

The Wuxi deal bolsters SAS’s position in the burgeoning field of IoT analytics for smart cities, with Wuxi and SAS agreeing to jointly develop an IoT Innovation Center. The two parties will also undertake joint promotion of IoT technologies and big data analytics to such industries as utilities, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and transportation industries