Artificial Intelligence in Public Urban Transport: Insights and Emerging Trends

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in public transport systems is of vital importance as it improves operational efficiency, optimizes passenger experience, reduces environmental impact, and contributes to sustainability and smart mobility initiatives in modern urban environments. This bibliometric study explores the evolution of the implementation of AI in urban public transport over three decades. Analyzing 2,537 articles published between 1992 and 2024, it highlights a significant growth in publications and citations, especially in the last years. The results show a predominant focus on topics such as autonomous vehicles, user acceptance, technological advances, sustainable systems, and service optimization. Although there is a clear thematic and geographic expansion of the studies, there is a significant concentration in certain regions, such as China and the United States. It is notable that 81% of the research focuses on urban buses, pointing to a gap in the exploration of other modes of public transport. Despite the steady growth in research, a gap is evident between the theory and practical implementation of AI in public transportation, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary and collaborative research between industry and academia. In response to these gaps, the study proposes a research agenda that addresses aspects such as user acceptance, social impact, sustainability aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and effects on sectors such as tourism. It emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary and collaborative research between industry and academia to bridge the gap between theory and practice in the implementation of AI in urban public transport. These results guide future research and promote the exploration of new approaches and cultural environments in this expanding field.