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The politics of smart expectations: Interrogating the knowledge claims of smart mobility

van Oers, Laura LU orcid ; de Hoop, Evelien ; Jolivet, Eric ; Marvin, Simon ; Späth, Philipp and Raven, Rob (2020) In Futures 122.
Abstract
This paper studies the performativity of smart mobility expectations in envisioning urban futures. Smart mobility, or ICT-enabled transport services, are increasingly considered a necessary ingredient for sustainability transitions in cities. Expectations of smart mobility’s contribution to such a transition are constituted by a strong belief in the transformative potential of data collection and use. These knowledge claims embedded in smart mobility expectations tend to be unchallenged, yet contribute to a particular future vision of urban mobility. Our empirical analysis, which draws on two empirical smart cycling case studies in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and Bordeaux, France, underlines the politics of such smart knowledge claims in two... (More)
This paper studies the performativity of smart mobility expectations in envisioning urban futures. Smart mobility, or ICT-enabled transport services, are increasingly considered a necessary ingredient for sustainability transitions in cities. Expectations of smart mobility’s contribution to such a transition are constituted by a strong belief in the transformative potential of data collection and use. These knowledge claims embedded in smart mobility expectations tend to be unchallenged, yet contribute to a particular future vision of urban mobility. Our empirical analysis, which draws on two empirical smart cycling case studies in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and Bordeaux, France, underlines the politics of such smart knowledge claims in two smart cycling projects and identifies distinct processes as to how such claims may shape and structure mobility futures. We observe intimate entanglements between what is being developed in terms of technologies and services; and the societal needs that the projects’ expectations promise to fulfil. At the same time, we witness a disentanglement of these interconnected knowledge claims when projects unfold, leaving the promise of (un)achieved societal benefits out of view. Indeed, smart knowledge claims carried strong inherent legitimacy in the cases studied, thereby risking to exclude non-smart alternatives. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Futures
volume
122
article number
102604
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85087748254
ISSN
0016-3287
DOI
10.1016/j.futures.2020.102604
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
636ec5db-6cb2-45f4-8d1b-8bde88abf883
date added to LUP
2026-04-20 16:12:45
date last changed
2026-04-30 03:37:08
@article{636ec5db-6cb2-45f4-8d1b-8bde88abf883,
  abstract     = {{This paper studies the performativity of smart mobility expectations in envisioning urban futures. Smart mobility, or ICT-enabled transport services, are increasingly considered a necessary ingredient for sustainability transitions in cities. Expectations of smart mobility’s contribution to such a transition are constituted by a strong belief in the transformative potential of data collection and use. These knowledge claims embedded in smart mobility expectations tend to be unchallenged, yet contribute to a particular future vision of urban mobility. Our empirical analysis, which draws on two empirical smart cycling case studies in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and Bordeaux, France, underlines the politics of such smart knowledge claims in two smart cycling projects and identifies distinct processes as to how such claims may shape and structure mobility futures. We observe intimate entanglements between what is being developed in terms of technologies and services; and the societal needs that the projects’ expectations promise to fulfil. At the same time, we witness a disentanglement of these interconnected knowledge claims when projects unfold, leaving the promise of (un)achieved societal benefits out of view. Indeed, smart knowledge claims carried strong inherent legitimacy in the cases studied, thereby risking to exclude non-smart alternatives.}},
  author       = {{van Oers, Laura and de Hoop, Evelien and Jolivet, Eric and Marvin, Simon and Späth, Philipp and Raven, Rob}},
  issn         = {{0016-3287}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Futures}},
  title        = {{The politics of smart expectations: Interrogating the knowledge claims of smart mobility}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2020.102604}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.futures.2020.102604}},
  volume       = {{122}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}