Transportation systems globally face challenges related to congestion, decreased quality of life, limited accessibility, increased harmful emissions and costs, growing use of private cars and in some cases lack of intra and intermodal integration. Smart Mobility is believed to be a solution to some of these challenges by providing comprehensive and intelligent mobility services, decreasing transportation costs, promoting safety, and combating pollution and traffic congestion. Despite this potential, there is still uncertainty surrounding what smart mobility is and whether it is moving toward improving the quality of life and making cities more sustainable. To address this gap, this paper conducts a bibliometric review of 3223 Web of Science Core Collection-indexed documents to provide a comprehensive understanding of smart mobility research. The findings reveal a lack of multi-disciplinary approaches in previous studies with a strong emphasis on technological aspects and limited social or economic considerations in current research. The review identifies four distinct periods of smart mobility research, with recent interest sparked by advancements in big data, deep learning, artificial intelligence, and real-time technologies in transport systems. However, there is a dearth of research on smart mobility in developing countries, where urban populations are rapidly increasing. Thus, the review proposes a research agenda to address the current gaps in knowledge. Furthermore, the review provides an updated and integrated definition of smart mobility as the use of advanced technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, and artificial intelligence, to improve transportation efficiency, mobility for all, and sustainability while safeguarding the quality of life. The primary challenge for smart mobility is the co-evolution with existing transport systems, making further research on integration with these systems and real-time technologies essential for advancing smart mobility research. The paper’s main contribution is an integrated conceptualisation of smart mobility research and novel research topics that build on this unified base.

Population growth in urban cities has created transport problems such as traffic congestion, pollution, accidents, and infrastructure failures. These problems often lead to disruption of mobility, especially in emerging economies. The goal of any city is to have a resilient transport system that is free from frequent and severe disruptions. Resilience can be incorporated into smart mobility systems to create a robust, integrated and intelligent transport system. Therefore, this study sought to determine resilience factors required for a resilient smart mobility system in emerging economies. The study used interpretive structural modelling (ISM) to establish the causal interrelationships among the factors drawing from data from experts in smart cities, city transport and academia. It was found that the most critical factor to drive resilience is foresight – the ability to anticipate disruptions. Three other resilience factor categories identified were dynamism, certainty and optimisation, which all point to the importance of building dynamic capabilities. The key implication for practice highlights the role that human and artificial intelligence can play in anticipating natural, social and infrastructure disruptions. ISM offered a mechanism to determine the critical causal resilience factors to be prioritised amongst the competing demands on the limited resources of emerging economies. Apart from foresight, which was found to be a driving factor, the other resilience factors are equally strong linkage factors (influence each other), thus further revealing the complexities that decision-makers in urban cities of emerging economies constantly face. A research agenda for resilience in smart mobility in emerging economies was developed.

The rapid growth in e-commerce calls for research on the potential of electric vehicles in improving last-mile delivery. Whereas existing studies have examined aspects of last-mile delivery, such as challenges, acceptance/benefits, and feasibility, the studies are fragmented, with conflicting findings and regional differences. Thus, there is a need for a comprehensive understanding of the studies to map out current research trends and propose future research agendas. To address this research gap, a bibliometric review was conducted on 375 publications from the Scopus database. Findings reveal that pioneering countries such as the USA have researched integrating electric vehicles into last-mile delivery systems, focusing on technological advancements such as battery technologies and smart grids. The sustainability theme is common in most studies, focusing on controlling carbon emissions and energy efficiency. The electric micro-mobility theme has grown in recent years, while emerging technologies remain underexplored, especially in developing economies. Future research should address the underexplored areas. These include charging infrastructure optimisation, electric micro-mobility innovations, and integration in urban environments, alongside the social and ethical implications of electric vehicle adoption for last-mile delivery.

Road traffic accidents are strongly associated with driver behaviour. Africa, as a region, has the highest road accident fatality rate, but there is very little research dealing with this critical issue on the continent. This paper, therefore, sought to establish the state of driver behaviour and road safety scholarship in Africa to determine current research trends as well as potential future research directions. To this end, two bibliometric analyses were conducted, one which considered the issue from an African perspective and the other which considered the broader body of work. The analysis revealed a critical shortage of research related to driver behaviour in Africa. The existing body of research primarily focused on the identification of issues and tended to focus on narrow research problems within limited geographical areas. A need was identified for the collection of broader macro-level data and statistical analyses thereof to indicate regional traffic crash patterns; causes and effects; country-level studies, particularly countries with high traffic fatality rates and low levels of research; cross-country comparisons; and modelling. Future research directions should also include the link between driver behaviour, traffic safety and the sustainable developments goals, as well as policy-related research to determine current and potential future country-level policies.

Background: As urban populations rapidly expand across sub-Saharan Africa, promoting sustainable and efficient transportation systems is imperative for fostering economic growth and social inclusion by enhancing mobility and accessibility. Objectives: This study examines the travel mode choices and factors influencing the use of these modes among residents of Lusaka, Zambia, for their work or school trips. Method: A household survey ascertained mode choice, trip characteristics, and transportation challenges experienced. Descriptive, contingency table, and post hoc analyses explored relationships between mode and associated factors. Results: Public buses emerged as the predominant mode for work/school trips, followed by walking and private cars, highlighting public transit’s and non-motorised transport’s importance. However, travel behaviour varied significantly by residential density. High-density areas favoured public transit and walking, while low-density areas promoted greater private vehicle use, highlighting the influence of urban form on mode choice. Key mode choice factors included travel time, fares and safety, though environmental concerns had lesser impact. Crucially, socio-economic and demographic characteristics like age, gender, income, education, employment, car ownership, trip purpose, household composition, presence of children, and destination accessibility significantly influenced mode choices, revealing the complex interplay shaping mobility patterns. Conclusion: Findings underscore the need for policy interventions investing in public transportation infrastructure, enhancing pedestrian and cycling facilities, and prioritising walkability in urban planning to encourage sustainable transportation behaviours. Contribution: This study contributes to the discourse on urban sustainability by highlighting the importance of integrating social, economic, and environmental considerations into transportation planning and policymaking processes.