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Purpose <p>This study investigates the opportunities and challenges associated with infrastructure preparedness for autonomous vehicles (AVs) in emerging smart cities, specifically focusing on Saudi Arabia's urban transformation under Vision 2030. It aims to propose comprehensive policy recommendations addressing physical, digital, regulatory, and socio-economic dimensions critical for successful AV integration.</p> Design/methodology/approach <p>A qualitative exploratory research design was employed, combining systematic content analysis of international policies and technical documents with semi-structured interviews. A total of 27 participants, comprising 14 experts (urban planners, policymakers, sustainable transport planners, and technology providers) and 13 citizens, contributed insights that were analysed thematically to derive context-specific findings and practical recommendations.</p> Findings <p>Five key themes emerged as essential to AVs infrastructure readiness: physical infrastructure gaps, digital readiness, governance and regulatory frameworks, public trust, and sustainability considerations. The findings highlight significant infrastructure inadequacies, fragmented governance approaches, and conditional public acceptance. Addressing these interconnected areas is crucial for advancing AV deployment and realising associated environmental and social benefits.</p> Originality <p>This research uniquely contributes by integrating global readiness frameworks into the specific context of Saudi Arabia’s smart-city initiatives. Unlike prior studies focusing predominantly on technical readiness, this paper emphasises holistic policy approaches, incorporating local governance, societal engagement, and sustainable infrastructure planning. The study provides empirically grounded insights essential for policymakers aiming for inclusive, realistic, and sustainable AV integration within emerging smart urban environments.</p>

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Proposed policies for preparing infrastructure for autonomous vehicles in smart cities: a policy framework from the Saudi Arabian context

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月29日

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  • Sultan Bader Aljehani,
  • Mahmoud Abdelgawwad Abdelhady,
  • Khalid Waleed Ahmed Abdo,
  • Imdadullah Hidayat-ur-Rehman,
  • Doaa Mohamed Ibrahim Badran,
  • Sabeen Hussain Bhatti,
  • Shahid Bashir,
  • Esam Mohammed Aloufi,
  • Ali Alshehri,
  • Yousef Bassam Aliwah

摘要

Purpose

This study investigates the opportunities and challenges associated with infrastructure preparedness for autonomous vehicles (AVs) in emerging smart cities, specifically focusing on Saudi Arabia's urban transformation under Vision 2030. It aims to propose comprehensive policy recommendations addressing physical, digital, regulatory, and socio-economic dimensions critical for successful AV integration.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative exploratory research design was employed, combining systematic content analysis of international policies and technical documents with semi-structured interviews. A total of 27 participants, comprising 14 experts (urban planners, policymakers, sustainable transport planners, and technology providers) and 13 citizens, contributed insights that were analysed thematically to derive context-specific findings and practical recommendations.

Findings

Five key themes emerged as essential to AVs infrastructure readiness: physical infrastructure gaps, digital readiness, governance and regulatory frameworks, public trust, and sustainability considerations. The findings highlight significant infrastructure inadequacies, fragmented governance approaches, and conditional public acceptance. Addressing these interconnected areas is crucial for advancing AV deployment and realising associated environmental and social benefits.

Originality

This research uniquely contributes by integrating global readiness frameworks into the specific context of Saudi Arabia’s smart-city initiatives. Unlike prior studies focusing predominantly on technical readiness, this paper emphasises holistic policy approaches, incorporating local governance, societal engagement, and sustainable infrastructure planning. The study provides empirically grounded insights essential for policymakers aiming for inclusive, realistic, and sustainable AV integration within emerging smart urban environments.