Age and the City: The Case of Smart Mobility

Abstract

This article investigates social inclusion from the perspective of smart mobility and transport, which are core aspects of smart city policy. More specifically, it discusses older people’s mobility practice in smart city environments as a phenomenon at the intersection of age, digital ICT and data. Drawing on mobility studies, communications and critical data studies the article uses the following questions to frame its analysis of inclusive smart transport services from the perspective of old and advanced age: How transport (and) mobility practices interact with mobile ICT use in smart cities? What do we know about the transport mobilities of older people? What do we know about the mobile media and ICT practices of older people? After introducing the concepts of smart city and smart mobility the article discusses these questions through literature review, secondary data, and examples from public transportation services in the city of London, one of Europe’s principal ‘smart’ cities. The analysis highlights age-bias in inherited transport system, gaps in available data about older people’s mobility practices and their media and ICT use, and opportunities for more inclusive (and sustainable) smart transport.