The digital transition for a sustainable mobility regime? A long-run perspective

Abstract

Abstract While the newest Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), such as the internet, are in some ways unique, in other respects they have historical predecessors. For example, the experiences of the introduction of the telegraph and the telephone provide certain parallels with newer ICTs. Their history is full of promises – and sometimes fears, that did not materialize. New ICTs have often been praised to massively transform our economies, and to be the foundation of a new and more sustainable mobility regime. But will they? And if so, how could ICTs help building it? This paper reviews the literature on the connection between ICTs and mobility and shows that ‘older’ ICTs have transformed our mobility regime in significant and unpredictable ways. In particular, they have supported and made more efficient new transport modes. They also contributed to the geographical concentration and dispersion trends of economic activities and changed how and how much we connect to our families and friends. Thus, ICTs can help building a more sustainable mobility regime, for instance by making transport more efficient or reducing mobility demand. Overall, the interactions between mobility and ICTs turn out to be important, diverse and complex.