RESEARCH PAPER PRESENTATION
Smart Cities and (Smart) Cycling: Exploring the Synergies in Copenhagen and Amsterdam
This article examines the integration of smart cycling technologies in smart city initiatives in Copenhagen and Amsterdam, exploring challenges and synergies between technology and cycling's low-tech nature. It's relevant for urban planners and policymakers.
Smart cycling technologies in cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam may challenge the simplicity and autonomy that make cycling beneficial.
The study investigates how the integration of ICT and IoT into cycling projects aligns with smart city goals in Copenhagen and Amsterdam. It examines whether these technological advancements enhance or undermine the appeal of low-tech cycling, focusing on the local context and existing cycling cultures.
The problem
Cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam face the challenge of integrating smart technologies into cycling initiatives within smart city frameworks. The concern is whether these technologies align with or disrupt cycling's simplicity and autonomy, key traits that contribute to its social and environmental benefits.
Key findings
- The study finds that in Copenhagen and Amsterdam, the push for smart cycling technologies is driven more by specific local policy needs rather than global tech industry interests. Despite some evidence of a 'technology push,' local priorities and concerns about maintaining cycling's low-tech nature are strong. Copenhagen focuses on reducing travel time to meet climate goals, while Amsterdam's efforts aim to address infrastructure pressure. There is also apprehension about the indirect pressure to keep cycling relevant in a future dominated by smart technologies.
50%
Target share of bicycle trips in Copenhagen's modal split by 2025.
41%
Bicycle's share in Copenhagen's modal split in 2017.
35%
Bicycle's share in Amsterdam's modal split in 2017.
What cities should do
- Cities should align smart technology applications with local mobility priorities, ensuring that technology acts as an enabler rather than a goal. They should maintain the beneficial aspects of cycling's simplicity and autonomy while integrating technology.
Implementation Approach
Both Copenhagen and Amsterdam prioritize local, context-driven strategies over technology-centric approaches. They're encouraged to scrutinize the impact of smart technologies and ensure these tools support existing cycling priorities, like reducing travel time or optimizing space use.