Navigating frictions in digital urbanism: Google Maps,public transportation and collaborative data-driven mobility governance

Abstract

Platforms like Google Maps aim to offer a standardised service to users worldwide. However, each city operates under distinct governance structures and transport systems, making integrating diverse mobility networks into a unified digital infrastructure challenging. This challenge is particularly pronounced in contexts where transport systems are partially informal, leading to uneven digitisation. How does Google Maps construct its knowledge infrastructure to accommodate such complexities, and what does this process reveal about the relationship between global platforms and state sovereignty? Using Mexico City as a case study, this article analyses how Google Maps has constructed its knowledge infrastructure to navigate the complexities of Mexico City’s transportation networks. Rather than a straightforward opposition between public and private actors, the research reveals a dynamic of mutual dependence and negotiated collaboration. Google Maps’ approach does not merely impose a global infrastructure onto a local setting but instead relies on local actors to mediate territorial specificities, illustrating an evolving interplay between global platforms and local governance.