Digital Revolution in Urban Transportation of the Southern Cities Questioned
La révolution du numérique dans les transports des villes du Sud en question
Résumé
In the large cities of the South, the emergence of ICT (information and communication technologies) and digital technology is taking place at a time when urban transport is being transformed by the effects of metropolization, with urban governments embarking on ambitious land-use planning and transport infrastructure modernization programs. This moment articulates the development of mass transport services such as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and individualized mobility platforms (taxi, on-demand transportation, micro-mobility), the role played by the dissemination of digital devices is being questioned, both by the urban transport regulatory authorities and by operators and users. Indeed, the deployment of new technologies and the widespread adoption of the smartphone are combined with reforms and systems integration projects aimed to promote “smart mobility” (Docherty et al. 2018). Cities in the South are thus questioning the developments and the place of digital technology in the implementation of flexible and optimized mobility. In addition to the expected environmental impact of reduced road traffic, digital tools hold the promise of a form of accelerated development that allows for leapfrogging in infrastructure and technology development. These same tools, promoted by powerful international actors, convey an image of modernity (Capetown, Indore) that is both valuational and solutionist and that is likely to revolutionize traveler information, urban mobility practices and transport governance. However, under the impact of globalization, the convergence towards international models is being questioned. This chapter analyzes the process of deploying digital tools in the transportation systems of Mexico City, Accra and Dakar.The three cities, although contrasting in size, population and governance, share common transport characteristics, including the prevalence of the informal sector in the provision of individual and collective transport services.
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