Current depictions of autonomous vehicle (AV) futures are primarily produced by automobile manufacturers, reflecting and reinforcing existing sociotechnical systems. This article argues for a more complex analysis of AV futures, understanding images as vessels for sociotechnical imaginaries. Through an analytical framework incorporating automobility, transitions, and imaginaries, the article explores how depictions of AVs frame the technology's response to system pressures. The analysis suggests regime actors use visual material to benefit their agendas, focusing on how policymakers and planners can interpret AV visualizations rather than predicting trajectories. The article concludes by suggesting policymakers and planners need a more active role, paying attention to the latent meanings behind AV visualisations and collaborating with producers.
Publisher
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
Published On
Mar 09, 2021
Authors
Robert Martin
Tags
autonomous vehicles
sociotechnical systems
imaginaries
visual material
policymaking
planning
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