Integrating automated minibuses into mobility systems – Socio-technical transitions analysis and multi-level perspectives

Automated driving, along with other mobility innovations, is expected to entail socio-technical changes in mobility systems. Automated vehicles and, more specifically, automated minibuses integrated into mobility systems are analysed in this study as a breakthrough technology through the perspective of different stakeholder groups and citizens. Our research approach builds upon conceptual mapping and semi-structured interviews with main stakeholder groups (n = 30) and a large-scale survey with citizens of four European cities (n = 1816). This paper brings forward insights into the interaction between technology and society as a dialectical process through the prism of socio-technical transitions and multi-level perspectives. The study addresses the main drivers and barriers to steering the deployment of automated minibuses to meet the mobility needs of citizens and the aims of cities towards sustainable mobility. Further, it points out five main mechanisms to pave the way to a mobility transition with automated minibuses integrated into mobility systems. Our findings support the prospect that automated minibuses integrated into public transport and MaaS systems and coupled with other niche innovations and policy instruments can be part of the solution to pave the way towards a socio-technical transition to a new mobility paradigm. •Automated minibuses can be part of the solution for a socio-technical transition in mobility.•Multi-level perspective analysis for automated vehicles and minibuses is conducted.•Stakeholders' and citizens' perceptions towards automated minibuses are presented.•Mechanisms for a mobility transition with automated minibuses are developed.•Automated minibuses integrated into mobility systems and combined with other innovations can provoke regime shifts.