Planning for Autonomous Public Transport: Governance Conditions and Actor Perspectives in a Multi-Level Planning Context
(2026) SGEM08 20261Department of Human Geography
- Abstract
- This thesis examines how autonomous buses are interpreted and evaluated as a potential mobility solution within a multi-level planning context involving both municipal and regional perspectives. While autonomous vehicles are often framed as a key component of future sustainable transport systems, their implementation depends not only on technological development but also on social acceptance, institutional conditions, and governance structures. The study addresses this gap by analysing how different actor groups perceive the role, potential, and challenges of autonomous public transport. The research is conducted as a mixed-method case study of a potential autonomous city-centre shuttle in Partille, Sweden. The empirical material consists... (More)
- This thesis examines how autonomous buses are interpreted and evaluated as a potential mobility solution within a multi-level planning context involving both municipal and regional perspectives. While autonomous vehicles are often framed as a key component of future sustainable transport systems, their implementation depends not only on technological development but also on social acceptance, institutional conditions, and governance structures. The study addresses this gap by analysing how different actor groups perceive the role, potential, and challenges of autonomous public transport. The research is conducted as a mixed-method case study of a potential autonomous city-centre shuttle in Partille, Sweden. The empirical material consists of semi-structured interviews with institutional and professional actors, including municipal planners, regional public transport representatives, and a private-sector actor, complemented by a survey capturing broader public perceptions. The analysis is guided by an adapted version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), extended with perceived safety as an additional analytical dimension. The findings show that autonomous public transport is generally understood as a complementary mobility solution, particularly suited to addressing first- and last-mile challenges and improving accessibility in fragmented urban environments. However, perceptions of its role differ between actor groups, reflecting distinct institutional logics related to efficiency, spatial integration, and cost efficiency. A central conclusion is that implementation is fundamentally shaped by multi-level governance conditions rather than technological readiness alone. Large-scale deployment is unlikely to emerge from municipal initiatives in isolation and instead depends on coordination at the regional level, where actors such as Västtrafik play a key role. At the same time, municipalities can contribute through small-scale, locally embedded applications that function as socio-technical learning environments, supporting trust, familiarity, and market development. The study further identifies regulatory uncertainty, long procurement cycles, and institutional rigidity as key barriers to implementation. However, the findings also suggest that the planning of autonomous transport does not fundamentally differ from conventional public transport in terms of route design and service provision. Rather than representing a radical break, autonomous vehicles can be understood as an incremental extension of existing systems. Overall, the thesis highlights that the transition towards autonomous public transport is a gradual and multi-scalar process, requiring coordination across governance levels while recognising the complementary role of local initiatives in shaping long-term implementation conditions. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9232065
- author
- Solefors, Tim LU
- supervisor
-
- Ola Hall LU
- organization
- course
- SGEM08 20261
- year
- 2026
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Autonomous public transport, Autonomous Buses, Multi-Level Governance, Technology Acceptance, Public Transport Planning
- language
- English
- id
- 9232065
- date added to LUP
- 2026-06-08 08:54:27
- date last changed
- 2026-06-08 08:54:27
@misc{9232065,
abstract = {{This thesis examines how autonomous buses are interpreted and evaluated as a potential mobility solution within a multi-level planning context involving both municipal and regional perspectives. While autonomous vehicles are often framed as a key component of future sustainable transport systems, their implementation depends not only on technological development but also on social acceptance, institutional conditions, and governance structures. The study addresses this gap by analysing how different actor groups perceive the role, potential, and challenges of autonomous public transport. The research is conducted as a mixed-method case study of a potential autonomous city-centre shuttle in Partille, Sweden. The empirical material consists of semi-structured interviews with institutional and professional actors, including municipal planners, regional public transport representatives, and a private-sector actor, complemented by a survey capturing broader public perceptions. The analysis is guided by an adapted version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), extended with perceived safety as an additional analytical dimension. The findings show that autonomous public transport is generally understood as a complementary mobility solution, particularly suited to addressing first- and last-mile challenges and improving accessibility in fragmented urban environments. However, perceptions of its role differ between actor groups, reflecting distinct institutional logics related to efficiency, spatial integration, and cost efficiency. A central conclusion is that implementation is fundamentally shaped by multi-level governance conditions rather than technological readiness alone. Large-scale deployment is unlikely to emerge from municipal initiatives in isolation and instead depends on coordination at the regional level, where actors such as Västtrafik play a key role. At the same time, municipalities can contribute through small-scale, locally embedded applications that function as socio-technical learning environments, supporting trust, familiarity, and market development. The study further identifies regulatory uncertainty, long procurement cycles, and institutional rigidity as key barriers to implementation. However, the findings also suggest that the planning of autonomous transport does not fundamentally differ from conventional public transport in terms of route design and service provision. Rather than representing a radical break, autonomous vehicles can be understood as an incremental extension of existing systems. Overall, the thesis highlights that the transition towards autonomous public transport is a gradual and multi-scalar process, requiring coordination across governance levels while recognising the complementary role of local initiatives in shaping long-term implementation conditions.}},
author = {{Solefors, Tim}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Planning for Autonomous Public Transport: Governance Conditions and Actor Perspectives in a Multi-Level Planning Context}},
year = {{2026}},
}