Interpretative flexibility and conflicts in the emergence of Mobility as a Service : Finnish public sector actor perspectives

Mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) is still largely under development, with high uncertainties of its societal implications. This development is happening across sectoral, multi-layered, and multi-actor networks. Previous case studies on understanding networked governance of MaaS inform us that there is a range of challenges in the current institutional arrangements, lack of shared MaaS vision, divergent interests, and even conflicts over roles and responsibilities. These case studies have used analytical frameworks based on socio-technical transitions theory, complemented with theories from institutional and business studies. This study focuses on Finland, aiming to provide additional insights about perspectives of non-commercial actors. In particular, we provide a more sophisticated understanding of underlying reasons for conflict and lack of cooperation concerning an understanding of MaaS, its implications, and associated governance actions. The applied analytical framework is building upon concepts from the philosophy and sociology of emerging technology, as well as the contemporary political theory of Chantal Mouffe. Interview findings from seventeen non-commercial organisations have been classified into five categories, namely definitions, operational and business aspects, user perspectives, systemic effects, and governance. Discussion of these interview findings focuses on the interpretative flexibility of MaaS and governance processes in the context of inherent conflict in the value-laden mobility domain. The paper concludes with outlining directions for further synthesis in developing analytical frameworks for studies of governance and responsible innovation in the domain of emerging mobility technologies.Peer reviewe

Emerging Urban Mobility Technologies through the Lens of Everyday Urban Aesthetics : Case of Self-Driving Vehicle

The goal of this article is to deepen the concept of emerging urban mobility technology using aesthetics of everyday mobility as a lens for bringing in important experiential and value-driven dimensions. Drawing on philosophical everyday and urban aesthetics, as well as the postphenomenological strand in the philosophy of technology, we explicate the relation between everyday aesthetic experience and urban mobility. By doing this, we shed light on the central role of aesthetics for providing depth to the multidimensional meaning of contemporary urban mobility. We use the example of self-driving vehicle (SDV), as potentially mundane, public, dynamic, and social urban robots, for expanding the range of perspectives relevant for understanding urban mobility technology. We present the range of existing SDV conceptualizations and contrast them with aesthetic and experiential understanding of urban mobility. In conclusion, we reflect on new pathways for speculative thinking about urban mobility futures and development of responsible innovation processes.The goal of this article is to deepen the concept of emerging urban mobility technology. Drawing on philosophical everyday and urban aesthetics, as well as the postphenomenological strand in the philosophy of technology, we explicate the relation between everyday aesthetic experience and urban mobility commoning. Thus, we shed light on the central role of aesthetics for providing depth to the important experiential and value-driven meaning of contemporary urban mobility. We use the example of self-driving vehicle (SDV), as potentially mundane, public, dynamic, and social urban robots, for expanding the range of perspectives relevant for our relations to urban mobility technology. We present the range of existing SDV conceptualizations and contrast them with experiential and aesthetic understanding of urban mobility. In conclusion, we reflect on the potential undesired consequences from the depolitization of technological development, and potential new pathways for speculative thinking concerning urban mobility futures in responsible innovation processes.Peer reviewe

A computational framework for revealing competitive travel times with low-carbon modes based on smartphone data collection

Evaluating potential of shifting to low-carbon transport modes requires considering limited travel-time budget of travelers. Despite previous studies focusing on time-relevant modal shift, there is a lack of integrated and transferable computational frameworks, which would use emerging smartphone-based high-resolution longitudinal travel datasets. This research explains and illustrates a computational framework for this purpose. The proposed framework compares observed trips with computed alternative trips and estimates the extent to which alternatives could reduce carbon emission without a significant increase in travel time.. The framework estimates potential of substituting observed car and public-transport trips with lower-carbon modes, evaluating parameters per individual traveler as well as for the whole city, from a set of temporal and spatial viewpoints. The illustrated parameters include the size and distribution of modal shifts, emission savings, and increased active-travel growth, as clustered by target mode, departure time, trip distance, and spatial coverage throughout the city. Parameters are also evaluated based on the frequently repeated trips. We evaluate usefulness of the method by analyzing door-to-door trips of a few hundred travelers, collected from smartphone traces in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland, during several months. The experiment's preliminary results show that, for instance, on average, 20% of frequent car trips of each traveler have a low-carbon alternative, and if the preferred alternatives are chosen, about 8% of the carbon emissions could be saved. In addition, it is seen that the spatial potential of bike as an alternative is much more sporadic throughout the city compared to that of bus, which has relatively more trips from/to city center. With few changes, the method would be applicable to other cities, bringing possibly different quantitative results. In particular, having more thorough data from large number of participants could provide implications for transportation researchers and planners to identify groups or areas for promoting mode shift. Finally, we discuss the limitations and lessons learned, highlighting future research directions.Peer reviewe

Data is not the new oil, but could be water or sunlight? From ethical to moral pathways for urban data management

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“There is no way of speaking logically about this mess” The impact of actor-relational dynamics on integrated planning practice

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Evaluation of public transport policy formulation and implementation: Case study of 24 mid-sized Nordic cities

Many growing mid-sized cities in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden) are redesigning their public transport networks (PTN) to attract more users, while simultaneously aiming to cope with cost effectiveness pressures. Although the role of public transport (PT) in these structurally dispersed cities has been declining in the past, PT has an essential role in providing sustainable urban mobility options. With this case context in mind, this study explores the development trajectory of PT networks in 24 cities ranging from 100,000 to 500,000 inhabitants, with an aim to draw comparative lessons for PT policy formulation and implementation worldwide. In particular, research questions include evaluation of currently offered quantity and structure of PT services, as well as evaluation of planning objectives and measures. Using a mixed-methods approach, case study combines document analysis with performance measures based on PT schedule data (i.e. GTFS). Document analysis focuses on three themes related to PTN: trunk-routes, cross-routes, and network simplicity. Based on these themes five novel performance measures are calculated for the cities, enabling structural comparison between PTNs. The results indicate that PT planning has gone through a paradigm shift, changing the focus towards market-based approach. Moreover, PT overhauls have aimed for hierarchical PT network structure, with rapid-transit, high frequency trunk lines, complemented with demand-responsive services. However, despite similarities in network planning approaches and the arguments used to justify these approaches, there are a few national differences especially in the PTN implementation. In conclusion, based on this assessment, the study provides policy implications for the development of the ongoing PT planning processes in the Nordic countries.Peer reviewe

Hear the Rime of the Fellow Mariner? A Letter to the Next Generation of Emphatic Co-Creators in Planning

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Networked dynamics of knowledge integration in strategic spatial planning processes: a social network approach

| openaire: EC/H2020/856602/EU//FINEST TWINSPlanning processes guiding sustainable urban futures are typically complex, non-linear and value-laden, but their knowledge dynamics are still not adequately understood. This paper explores the potential of social network analysis (SNA) as a part of mixed-method approach for analysing the dynamic social context of knowledge integration in planning processes. The empirical study uses detailed longitudinal data of a four-year statutory planning process in the Nordic context, providing a methodological contribution for understanding knowledge integration in planning with visual–analytical methods and actor-relational criteria. Findings provide a new understanding of the actual social realities of planning practice and the further conceptualization of situated process dynamics.Peer reviewe