Understanding older adults’ intentions to adopt mobility-as-a-service mobile applications: implications for inclusive and accessible urban transport

Introduction Mobility-as-a-Service underpins sustainable urban mobility strategies and promises to reduce car dependency through seamless integration of transport modes within a single digital platform. However, as cities increasingly digitise access to mobility services, concerns are growing that older adults may be disproportionately excluded from these benefits, creating a new form of transport disadvantage. Despite the importance of inclusive mobility for ageing populations, behavioural mechanisms underpinning older adults’ adoption of mobility-as-a-service remain unknown. This study addresses this critical gap by examining how technology perceptions and innovation attributes jointly shape mobility-as-a-service adoption intentions amongst older adults. Method We develop and test a new integrated theoretical framework combining the Technology Acceptance Model and Diffusion of Innovation theory to explain digital mobility adoption in later life. The framework proposes that innovation attributes influence adoption indirectly through usability perceptions, revealing how established travel behaviours interact with emerging digital mobility services. Survey data were collected from 603 adults aged 60 years and above in Nottinghamshire, UK. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling is employed to evaluate the proposed relationships and identify the principal drivers of mobility-as-a-service adoption intentions. Results The findings demonstrate that behavioural intention is primarily driven by attitude towards mobility-as-a-service use, which is positively influenced by perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Innovation attributes exert their effects largely through these usability perceptions. Relative advantage and compatibility significantly enhance perceived usefulness, whilst complexity reduces perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Trialability and observability strengthen perceived ease of use, highlighting the importance of direct engagement and experiential learning in facilitating adoption. Age is negatively associated with behavioural intention, indicating that barriers to digital mobility adoption increase across later life. Conclusions This study advances understanding of digital mobility adoption by demonstrating that older adults evaluate mobility-as-a-service not solely as a technology but as an innovation embedded within established travel practices. By revealing how innovation attributes influence adoption through usability perceptions, the study extends existing adoption theory and provides a more nuanced explanation of technology uptake in later life. The findings have significant implications for sustainable transport policy, suggesting that the success of mobility-as-a-service will depend not only on technological functionality but also on reducing digital complexity, enhancing compatibility with existing travel routines, and creating opportunities for experiential engagement. As transport systems become increasingly digitalised, these insights are essential for ensuring that sustainable mobility transitions remain inclusive of ageing populations.