Report: Lack of industry standards stalling development of internet of things

Development of the internet of things in China faces a major challenge from a lack of industry standards, according to a white paper released on Sunday.

The central government has put much effort into building the IoT, a network of devices or objects fitted with software that allow data exchanges, the document said, citing a favorable policy environment and pilot projects in sectors such as agriculture, transportation, environmental protection and healthcare.

"A coordinated multilevel working mechanism on IoT standardization has been created," the white paper said.

"However, the research and formulation of IoT standards still needs further improvement to meet the demand."

"IoT involves many industries, and each of them is at different development levels. The development of industry application standards is lagging behind."

The document was compiled by the China Electronics Standardization Institute and the National Working Group on Internet of Things Basic Standards and released at the 2016 World Internet of Things Expo in Wuxi, Jiangsu province.

Shen Jie, vice-president of the Wuxi IoT Industry Research Institute, said creating the standards will require the combined efforts and wisdom of various departments.

"Developing standards not only includes technology, but also industry knowledge," said Shen, who is also head of the general group of the national IoT working group.

He added that the standards should be "practical" and "executable".

"In general, industry application standards and practices should work together and promote mutual development," he said.

IoT application standards have already been introduced in some sectors, including public security and agriculture, and industry insiders have said breakthroughs are on the horizon.

In addition to developing more IoT standards and forming a complete system, the white paper suggested China play an active role in developing international standards.

The nation has a series of action plans regarding IoT development and has committed about 2 billion yuan ($295 million) to the sector over the past four years.

Wuxi has become key to the development of the IoT industry. The city government has unveiled plans to build more IoT technology and business incubators by 2020 as well as further develop industrial chains.

The World Internet of Things Expo, held Sunday to Tuesday, serves as a platform to showcase new IoT technologies and promote communication between industry professionals. The event attracted nearly 500 companies and 80,000 visitors, including business leaders, experts and government officials.

Wang Wei contributed to this story.