The ultimate smart mobility combination for sustainable transport? a case study on shared electric automated mobility initiatives in the Netherlands

The current mobility system faces severe sustainability challenges and requires a fundamental change. Enabled by smart mobility innovations, the previously separate fields of shared, electric, and automated mobility seem to converge into a promising alternative. As the ultimate combination, it is expected to have a major impact by transforming the current mobility system. This paper provides an empirical perspective by looking into the promises of the combination and the current state of development by conducting a case study in the Netherlands on shared electric automated mobility initiatives. The case study demonstrates that the initiators mobilized promises of reduced automobility and promises of increased sustainability to develop their shared electric automated mobility initiatives. The initiators, however, also experienced several difficulties, such as operational and technical issues and the difficulty of involving users. Automation was often regarded as an element to overcome these implementation challenges and is, therefore, also seen as an interesting business opportunity. Although promising in some regards, the combination might also result in the opposite effect, increasing car-dependency and diminishing any environmental benefits. Developments are still at an early stage, but the continuous involvement of a wide range of actors remains crucial to move beyond just vehicles and steer the developments into a direction of a shared electric automated mobility system, including the integration of multiple modes and alternative mobility developments.