Designing a Smart Electric Vehicle Charge Point of Algorithmic Transparency: Doing Harm by Doing Good?

The increasing use of algorithms in cities has come under scrutiny. Transparency is widely seen as a way to ensure their fairness and accountability. We investigate how al- gorithmic transparency helps citizens understand smart electric vehicle charge points and how its conception differs between experts and citizens. Using a research-through- design approach we collaborated over a 10-month period with companies and Amsterdam municipality to prototype and evaluate a transparent smart electric vehicle charge point. We find that experts believe transparency is pro- duced by truthful information about inputs, processes and outcomes, that this information aids understanding and is actionable. We also find that citizens are indifferent to al-gorithmic decision-making when it serves common interests. Furthermore, transparency invites gaming, creates expectations of control, and adds to the cognitive burden of an already stressful task. Our findings suggest algorithmic transparency benefits professional stakeholders more than the citizens it is claimed to serve.