Governance of shared electric scooters: a comparative study of Tokyo and Helsinki

In recent years, shared electric scooters (SES) have emerged in cities around the world. Despite the plethora of studies on their societal impacts, there is a lack of studies on governance of this emerging mobility technology. This study contributes to the understanding of SES governance, through a comparative case study of Helsinki (Finland) and Tokyo (Japan), using a triangulation of document analysis and expert interviews. The analysis compares governance actions over time, roles and responsibilities of governance actors, and overall governance approach. The findings show how various governance actions have been implemented with some delay after developing understanding of SES impacts in specific contexts. Moreover, the findings show how in both cases, the national government actors have been crucial in enabling SES deployment, and with a focus on the right of business to operate, hoping for positive economic impacts. In the context of multi-level governance, this study also highlights the involvement of diverse governance actors, such as those from the healthcare sector and the broad public, that have shaped municipality‑specific SES governance actions. Overall, this study provides further evidence for the smart mobility governance theory focused on the public good, while providing important lessons for transport policy practitioners on involvement of governance actors when dealing with emerging mobility technologies.