Next Article in Journal
Self-Perceived Employability and Meaningful Work: The Mediating Role of Courage on Quality of Life
Previous Article in Journal
Analytical Framework to Assess the Incorporation of Climate Change Adaptation in Water Management: Application to the Tordera River Basin Adaptation Plan
Previous Article in Special Issue
Modern Conceptions of Cities as Smart and Sustainable and Their Commonalities
 
 
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Cycling the Smart and Sustainable City: Analyzing EC Policy Documents on Internet of Things, Mobility and Transport, and Smart Cities

School of Media, University of Brighton, Brighton BN2 4GJ, UK
Sustainability 2019, 11(3), 763; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030763
Submission received: 29 October 2018 / Revised: 19 January 2019 / Accepted: 23 January 2019 / Published: 1 February 2019

Abstract

This article asks how cycling, a sustainable form of urban mobility, is discussed in the context of smart cities and the Internet of Things in European Commission (EC) policy documents, and how this compares to discussions around cars. Sustainable forms of transport, such as cycling, are a key issue for cities across the globe, including smart cities, while transport is increasingly becoming part of the Internet of Things (IoT). This article contributes to an understanding of how cars and bicycles are discussed in this context. To do so, 39 relevant EC policy documents (2014–2018) were identified and examined through keyword searches and rigorous document analysis. The results show how the vast majority of policy discussions in this area revolve around cars (including autonomous cars and smart vehicles), while cycling is hardly considered, with a strong affinity between IoT and cars. In addition, recent EC policy debates take place more around IoT than around Smart Cities, while sustainability is not considered much in the IoT context. The conclusion highlights the implications of sustainable urban modes of transport such as cycling being absent from IoT/smart debates, including lack of policy visibility and funding opportunities, underlining the significance of this research, and it also makes policy suggestions for addressing these issues and for future research.
Keywords: mobility; transport; smart cities; intelligent transportation systems (ITS); cycling; sustainable transport; Internet of Things (IoT); policy; data mobility; transport; smart cities; intelligent transportation systems (ITS); cycling; sustainable transport; Internet of Things (IoT); policy; data

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Behrendt, F. Cycling the Smart and Sustainable City: Analyzing EC Policy Documents on Internet of Things, Mobility and Transport, and Smart Cities. Sustainability 2019, 11, 763. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030763

AMA Style

Behrendt F. Cycling the Smart and Sustainable City: Analyzing EC Policy Documents on Internet of Things, Mobility and Transport, and Smart Cities. Sustainability. 2019; 11(3):763. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030763

Chicago/Turabian Style

Behrendt, Frauke. 2019. "Cycling the Smart and Sustainable City: Analyzing EC Policy Documents on Internet of Things, Mobility and Transport, and Smart Cities" Sustainability 11, no. 3: 763. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030763

APA Style

Behrendt, F. (2019). Cycling the Smart and Sustainable City: Analyzing EC Policy Documents on Internet of Things, Mobility and Transport, and Smart Cities. Sustainability, 11(3), 763. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030763

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop