Trends in the Development of the Transport Sector of Smart Cities: Political Aspect

The article is devoted to the transformation of the transport sector of smart cities. The transport sector is one of the key components for the urban economy, as it determines the accessibility of urban areas and the connectivity of space. For this reason, digitalization of transport is the significant component of the creation of smart cities. Based on selected cases of the introduction of new technologies in Russian and foreign practice, the article describes the main directions of the evolution of the “smart city” concept in the transport sector. For each identified trend, the authors have compiled a list of possible positive and negative sociopolitical effects. It is emphasized that while the advantages of the “smart city” concept for enhancing the management efficiency of the transportation sector are noteworthy, it is equally important to focus on the potential risks and unforeseen consequences associated with the introduction of new technologies.