Directions of research on autonomous vehicles in smart city – bibliometric analysis

This article assesses research development on autonomous vehicles in the context of smart and sustainable mobility. It analyses publication trends, authors, countries and institutions, publications, and thematic areas. A multi-stage bibliometric analysis was conducted on publications from 2016–2026 retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science. The research involved data selection, standardisation, duplicate removal, and analyses using VOSviewer and MS Excel. The results show an increase in publications since 2020, with the largest contributions from the USA, China, and India. Five clusters were identified: digital infrastructure and cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and environmental perception, transport infrastructure and traffic management, urban planning and societal aspects, and electromobility. Recent trends indicate growing interest in detection systems and alternative transport technologies. The findings highlight links with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11, as well as SDGs 3, 7, and 13. The study provides an overview of the field’s development, thematic evolution, and interdisciplinary nature.