From hand-held radio to ride-hailing platforms: Research on a local technical network of taxi drivers in China

Wenjie Zhang; Wanxin Tang; Tiantian Yu; Hongzhe Wang

doi:10.5209/tekn.87492

From hand-held radio to ride-hailing platforms: Research on a local technical network of taxi drivers in China

Wenjie Zhang Peking University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3533-8330
Wanxin Tang Peking University https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0375-4185
Tiantian Yu Peking University https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7629-1858
Hongzhe Wang Peking University https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2756-9135

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5209/tekn.87492

Keywords: Chinese taxi drivers, ICT, wireless transceive, ride-hailing apps, ow technologies

Abstract

Este artículo investiga cómo los taxistas chinos utilizan equipos de baja tecnología (low tech), como radios portátiles y servicios de teléfono móvil, para formar redes locales de transporte. Estudios anteriores analizaban cómo las plataformas digitales como Didi Chuxing transformaron las relaciones laborales sin llegar a reparar en el hecho que las soluciones tecnológicas tradicionales, como el radiotaxi, fuera de las áreas metropolitanas resistieron la plataformización del sector del transporte. Este artículo presta atención a la diversidad del ecosistema TIC en China. Tras la revisión de los avances en las tecnologías de la comunicación móvil, analizamos las motivaciones económicas, culturales y sociales que propician el uso de soluciones low tech y medios cooperativos por parte del sector de taxistas a partir de dos estudios de caso de ciudades de cuarto y quinto nivel (Laizhou, Shandong; Ziyang, Sichuan).

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Wenjie Zhang, Peking University

Wenjie Zhang, a Phd student at the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University. Zhang is interested in the political economy of communications, media history, media infrastructure, and examines how grassroots societies are organized through ICTs.

Wanxin Tang, Peking University

Wanxin Tang is a research assistant and graduate student at the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University; a member of the Beijing Media Group. Her research interests are mainly in STS, media history, development communication, rural communication, and critical animal studies. She considers it interesting and challenging to discuss the history of unseen groups and the material culture history of media, which can lead to a richer and more detailed perception of world development.

Tiantian Yu, Peking University

Tiantian Yu, a graduate student at the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University. Her research interests include media history, cultural studies and game studies.

Hongzhe Wang, Peking University

Hongzhe WANG, Associate Professor in the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking Uni. Hongzhe Wang got his Ph.D. in Communication from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. His research interests include media history, digital technology, cyberculture and class related issues.

View citations

Article download

Crossmark

Metrics

Published

2023-11-08

Opr

How to Cite

Zhang W., Tang W., Yu T. y Wang H. (2023). From hand-held radio to ride-hailing platforms: Research on a local technical network of taxi drivers in China. Teknokultura. Journal of Digital Culture and Social Movements, 20(Special Issue), 67-78. https://doi.org/10.5209/tekn.87492

Download Citation

Issue

Vol. 20 No. Special Issue (2023): China & The Digital Turn

Section

Karpeta

License

In order to support the global exchange of knowledge, the journal Teknokultura is allowing unrestricted access to its content as from its publication in this electronic edition, and as such it is an open-access journal. The originals published in this journal are the property of the Complutense University of Madrid and any reproduction thereof in full or in part must cite the source. All content is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 use and distribution licence (CC BY 4.0). This circumstance must be expressly stated in these terms where necessary. You can view the summary and the complete legal text of the licence.