Digital twins are digital replicas of objects and systems in the real world. These digital replicas in a virtual environment can be connected with smart sensors and a variety of analyses, and simulations of real-time data from these sensors enable eff...
Digital twins are digital replicas of objects and systems in the real world. These digital replicas in a virtual environment can be connected with smart sensors and a variety of analyses, and simulations of real-time data from these sensors enable effective the operation, rapid feedback, and future predictions of real world phenomena. Until now, digital twins have been adopted and used mainly in the field of manufacturing, especially for smart factories. As digital twins are expected to be useful not only for productivity improvement but also for social problem solving, it is predicted that they will be extended to other fields such as those of transportation and cities. Digital twins will especially help realize smart cities through real-time monitoring, operation, and predictions using virtual digital twin cities. This paper summarizes the trends in digital twins for smart cities, the concept of digital twins, their application to smart cities, the strategies of various countries, and the development status of companies.