International benchmark on experimentations with Autonomous Shuttles for Collective Transport

Based on an exploratory and descriptive quali/quanti research design, the present study aimed at performing a worldwide benchmark on experimentations with Autonomous Shuttles for Collective Transport (ASCT). Data was collected online on both academic and grey literature yielding a research corpus of 92 experimentations. Results show a European lead on both the number of experimentations and manufacturers, with highlights to the French startups Navya and EasyMile. Most of the sampled deployments have their services aimed towards public transportation business models being either showcases or trials, mainly offered free of charge to commuters (paid regular services were a minority). Regular-line transport system was the prevailing operational mode adopted, meanwhile, on-demand platform services were still present, but incipient. Eight main typologies of uses able to fulfill both private and public transport offerings were identified, being either focused on solving first-and last-mile issues and/or microtransit commute. Nine key-performance indicators were selected and divided into economic-and user-centered. At last, the main common stakeholders among all experimentations were identified, as well as how different forms of value (financial; usage; research; data) are created and distributed among them in order to promote sustained growth and evolution of the ecosystem.