What shapes smart mobility? A comparison of smart mobility governance in Seattle, Greater Manchester and Stockholm

This thesis compares how smart mobility services have been shaped and steered in Seattle, Greater Manchester, and Stockholm, and explores how smart mobility providers can be held accountable for contributing to meeting local sustainable transport objectives. The research draws from and contributes to literature on governance, innovation, and smart mobility. The data used for this research was collected through semi-structured interviews with policymakers and other stakeholders involved in shaping smart mobility services in the three cities. Seattle has taken strong regulatory action to steer services, Greater Manchester has favoured a mix of regulation and collaboration with smart mobility providers, and Stockholm has adopted a hands-off position unless there is a need to address market failures. The comparative approach taken in this research provides new insights into the key elements shaping the interaction between governance context and smart mobility adoption. Smart mobility services are shaped by pre-existing governance arrangements in each city. They are also shaped by the corporate strategies of smart mobility providers, which are often developed at the international level but determine how services evolve locally. Direct steering in the form of experimentation, local strategies, policies, and regulations also plays an important role in shaping services in each city. This research argues that cities need to develop strong partnerships and reciprocal relationships with smart mobility providers in order to gain more leverage in steering services and delivering public value. However, the three case studies show that, for now, smart mobility provides unspectacular benefits and presents various risks, which need to be understood and managed. The concluding discussion stresses the need to think critically about the role of smart mobility services as part of the broader transport system, particularly in relation to rapid decarbonisation.