Process Model for the Introduction of Automated Buses

The early deployment of automated electric buses, as a sustainable future mobility concept, depends not only on technical development but also on comprehensive public transportation planning. Local authorities and transportation companies’ planners must strategically incorporate automated buses into the public transportation network on suitable routes. However, current approaches to transportation planning often neglect essential factors pertinent to automated buses, including legal regulations, the status of technological development, and the existing transportation infrastructure. Recognizing the paramount significance of addressing these considerations, this paper endeavors to adapt the public transportation planning process to accommodate the unique requirements of automated buses. To achieve this objective, this study incorporates the requisite input data and framework conditions specific to automated buses into the public transportation planning workflow. Moreover, it elucidates the resultant impacts on the various stages of the planning process and the utilization of mathematical optimization techniques. By employing the devised process model, it becomes feasible to comprehensively assess and evaluate not only the integration of conventional public transportation but also automated buses within a line network. This approach facilitates a comparative analysis of both modes of transportation in terms of costs and benefits, even during the early planning phases, ultimately identifying optimal routes.