Mapping Research on Road Transport Infrastructures and Emerging Technologies: A Bibliometric, Scientometric, and Network Analysis

Research on road transport infrastructures is rapidly evolving as electrification, automation, and digital connectivity reshape how systems are designed, operated, and managed. This study presents a combined bibliometric, scientometric, and network analysis of 2755 publications published between 2021 and 2025 to map the intellectual structure, main contributors, and dominant technological themes shaping contemporary road transport research. Using data from the Web of Science Core Collection, co-occurrence mapping, thematic analysis, and collaboration networks were generated using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer. The results reveal strong growth in research output, with China, the United States, and Europe forming the core of high-impact publication and collaboration networks. Six bibliometric clusters were identified and consolidated into three overarching domains: road transport systems, emphasizing vehicle dynamics, control, and real-time computational frameworks; energy and efficiency-oriented mobility research, focusing on electrification, optimization, and infrastructure integration; and emerging digital technologies, including IoT, AI, and autonomous vehicles. The analysis highlights persistent research gaps related to interoperability, cybersecurity, large-scale deployment, and governance of intelligent transport infrastructures. Overall, the findings provide a data-driven overview of current research priorities and structural patterns shaping next-generation road transport systems.