Netherlands leads smart home device use in Europe – Statistics Netherlands

Statistics Netherlands (CBS) have reported that almost three-quarters of Dutch people use a smart device in the home.

CBS attribute this high usage, claimed as the leader in Europe, to the high presence – 59% – of smart electricity, gas or water meters in homes.

CBS state the average smart device use in the EU to be 8%.

The findings from a survey of some 6,500 people aged 12 years or older indicated that more than a quarter used a smart thermostat while one-fifth used a virtual assistant via an app or smart speaker and one-sixth smart lighting or other system for smart living.

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One-tenth also used smart safety systems such as security cameras or smoke detectors.

According to CBS, some see the Internet of Things as a technical step forward, while others show restraint.

The survey found that of the people who reported not using smart devices or systems at home, three-quarters felt no need for them. High costs or concerns about privacy or security were each cited by more than one-quarter as reasons.

Less often mentioned were unfamiliarity with such devices and systems or their use.

In addition to smart devices and systems for the home, nearly 20% used smart accessories, such as a smartwatch or a motion meter, while 10% had a car with a built-in internet connection.

Broadly similar findings for the rejection of smart devices at least have emerged in a survey in Germany from the IT association Bitkom.

With the smart meter rollout starting around two years ago the penetration is lower with around one-sixth either using or planning to use a smart meter.

However, over half did not want a smart meter in their home, with one-third citing their high costs or seeing no need for them and over one-quarter expressing concerns about data security.

Nevertheless, around three-quarters of the more than one thousand respondents in the survey expressed interest in saving electricity costs and identifying the high usage devices in the household. Still over one-third are not aware of smart meters, although this number has declined since the start of the rollout.