Mobility in “smart cities”: actions and perspectives

Abstract

One of the most important elements in the organization and planning of “smart cities” in discussions, assessments, and proposals for action by the public sector to achieve the goals of sustainable, balanced, and inclusive urban development is the sector of services and infrastructure linked to urban mobility. Beyond the traditional proposals and actions already consolidated, this sector demands new possibilities for improving techniques, incorporating Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This article proposes to analyze the current actions and perspectives related to Urban Mobility in the context of “Smart Cities,” understood as a structuring element of public planning and management policies. In this scenario, the relevance of ICTs and the irreversibility of the adoption of these policies are considered. The methodological procedure used was a temporal narrative bibliographic research, with a survey of contemporary, international, and national references, and additional technical publications. A systematic analysis and a multidimensional evaluation of theoretical-conceptual and technical reflections on mobility in “smart cities” were carried out. Among the experiences evaluated and adopted in some places around the world and in Brazil, those established in the cities of Brasília-DF and Uberlândia-MG stand out. It was confirmed that the use of ICTs is essential in urban planning, mobility, and public management, with greater or lesser intensity. It is, therefore, an increasingly present reality in the daily lives of most citizens.