Designing a Reference Model for the Deployment of Shared Autonomous Vehicles in Lisbon

Urban mobility in Lisbon faces persistent constraints driven not only by congestion, parking scarcity, and emissions but also by deeper structural issues such as fragmented governance and limited cross-peripheral public transport connectivity. These shortcomings hinder integrated mobility planning and motivate the exploration of Shared Autonomous Vehicles (SAVs) as a complementary urban transport solution. Existing SAV frameworks rarely integrate governance coordination, data interoperability, and contextual adaptation for medium-sized European cities. This study addresses this gap by designing and validating a reference model for the deployment of SAVs in Lisbon using a design–science approach combining a literature review, enterprise architecture modelling, and stakeholder validation. The proposed model contributes the following: (i) a governance coordination framework for multi-actor urban mobility ecosystems; (ii) an integrated digital and application architecture supporting multimodal services and user trust mechanisms; and (iii) a technology layer enabling V2X communication and interoperable mobility data flows. The model is demonstrated through Lisbon-specific scenarios aligned with local sustainable mobility strategies. Scenario interpretation is informed by literature-based performance benchmarks—including travel-time reductions of 13–42%, energy-use reductions of 12%, and GHG reductions of 5.6%—which are used as reference indicators rather than simulation outputs. The resulting framework bridges strategic policy and implementable system architecture, supporting the transition towards integrated, sustainable, and autonomous mobility in medium-sized European cities.