Abstract
Arguably the most powerful artifact of the 20th century, the private car brought profound spatial, social, and cultural changes, as well as wide-ranging mobility justice implications. Autonomous mobility technologies, with the power to supplant part or all of the action of the driver by collecting and processing large quantities of fine grained data, promise to shift power away from users to engineers and create new important spatial and social implications for mobility justice, of which little are known. This research draws from Foucauldian conceptualizations adapted for the study of geographies of power to investigate how autonomous mobility technology may diagram spatial rationalities and moralities into the built environment. To that effect, it draws from 30 interviews of intermediaries in Finland–a country actively pursuing a transition to automated and shared mobility as part of an ICT-driven innovation policy. Examining autonomous mobility through a Foucauldian lens helps highlight the complex power relations it affords–in terms of changes in social structure and infrastructure, and social justice. By shedding light on how technology may structure the built environment, the Foucauldian perspective shows itself to be a valuable tool for planning and policymaking, providing insight into how autonomous mobility (in)justice may be assembled.
Highlights
The private car brought spatial, social and cultural changes that have had social justice implications–creating winners and losers in the process, and making it the most powerful artefact of the 20th century–more powerful than the computer even [1]
It uses a Foucauldian theoretical frame adapted for geographies of power to examine aspects of structural power this emerging mobility system may bring to the built environment, and its implications for mobility justice
Referring to children's mobilities, one respondent was concerned with the discipline of unruly behavior, alluring to a rationality of electronic surveillance attached to the absence of the driver: “[H]ow to have a self-driving vehicle for school transport for kids, do you need a camera inside the vehicle to be able to see who is standing on their head or whatever?” (Partner, Sustainability Innovation Consultancy)
Summary
The private car brought spatial, social and cultural changes that have had social justice implications–creating winners and losers in the process, and making it the most powerful artefact of the 20th century–more powerful than the computer even [1]. Drawing from Kellerman's concept of autonomous mobility space, where technology, users and space entertain power relations with each other, this research examines how this emerging technology might reshape the very fabric of cities and societies in powerful ways–diagramming shifting relations of power, rationalities and moralities in spaces and built environments. To that end, it uses a Foucauldian theoretical frame adapted for geographies of power to examine aspects of structural power this emerging mobility system may bring to the built environment, and its implications for mobility justice. The paper ends with concluding thoughts, the purpose of which is not to provide definite answers on the potential social justice implications of autonomous mobility, but to increase understanding of the usefulness to planners and policymakers of using a Foucauldian theoretical lens for critical envisioning and evaluating potential futures
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