AI in future road transport: Policy and practice in value chain innovation

Abstract:

The objective of the study is to identify the potentials and key issues in the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in road transport in particular. Road transport can be considered to be a key sector which links multiple factors, including not only automobiles and mobility services but also public transport and the supporting infrastructures in AI ecosystems. In Denmark, the application of AI in transport has also been identified as one of the priority areas in the government’s national strategy for AI. While there are various business opportunities that firms in different industries could exploit in this area, the implementation of AI technologies will require substantial changes in public policies, thereby influencing social norms as well as competition between local and foreign firms operating in a given market. Despite the significance of the academic and practical implications that studies in this area can generate, research on AI tends to be conducted within a discipline-specific context, and interactions of researchers between different subject areas, as well as combinations between qualitative and quantitative methods, are still scarce. The prime purpose of this networking project is, therefore, to connect researchers who approach issues related to AI through international workshops on a well-defined theme, i.e., future road transport. This cross-cutting initiative can engender effective interdisciplinary research and make a substantive contribution to policy analysis and global value chain analysis in the domain of the international business literature.