We are approaching the end of 2025 and one of this year’s buzzwords has been Artificial Intelligence (AI), so I have thought of making an experiment and asking Google which developments in transport are going to happen in 2026. In line with the AI increasing popularity, I have chosen to focus on the AI-generated results only as they now appear at the top page of search results.
The AI-based search returned three categories of key transport developments in 2026:
1) Technological Advancements
2) Sustainability & Electrification
3) New Mobility Models
In the first category we find AI integration (no surprise), then Autonomous Vehicles (AV), Internet of Things (IoT) and Connectivity (V2X) and, finally, Cloud-based Platforms. Without going into details, it is interesting that IoT and Cloud-based systems were two of the IT-based developments for 2026 I had searched a few months ago.
In the second category, we find “widespread” Electric Mobility. It is curious to read the AI-based search is so confident in the “widespread” application of EVs and related systems (e.g. charging stations) during next year. After this item, we find Alternative Fuels, which makes us understand electricity is not the main (or only) source of mobility. Then, we read Green Logistics (not sure whether this is going to be one of the 2026 main aspects as I have been reading about this item since 2010s). Finally, we find Climate-Resilient Infrastructure which – in my opinion – correctly reflects the current concerns in many part of the world.
The third and last category, the New Mobility Models, is the one that most raises my scepticism. We read that Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platforms are going to be widely adopted and, despite we have been talking of MaaS for 20 years, apart from some experiments, we haven’t seen a widely adoption of MaaS. Actually, during the MOVE conference held in London last June, representatives of several councils admitted to consider the MaaS experience concluded without too much success.
Then, we find Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and Flying Taxis. Well, also for this technology and associated services, apart from the excitement generated from some companies before the Covid-19 outbreak, there have been litte to no real services operating with this technology.
The next item of new mobility models mentioned is Micromobility and On-Demand Services. Micromobility has certainly arrived in our cities, generated enthusiasm and feeling of a new deal of mobility freedom, but the lack of safety (many accidents and collisions between e-scooters and cars have been reported in several cities) along with bad examples of e-scooters abandoned in middle of pavements or thrown anywhere in the urban realm, made councils change their mind and now in some cities the circulation of these means of transport is banned (in the majority of the UK cities they were never approved). This problem regards all “free flow” on-demand services.
Different situation regards bike-sharing systems as, in this case, bikes have to be returned to their station. However, the real question is: Will we really see an expansion of on-demand services in 2026? I am not that sure.
The last item found is the Hyperloop Development. This AI-based result correctly adds that “…while not yet a commercial reality, public-private partnerships continue to test the feasibility of hyperloop technology…“. In reality, many public and private stakeholders in the last decade stated that this transport solution is either not commercially viable or too difficult and expensive to realise.
By the way, to better understand the effectiveness and reliability of AI-based info-search systems, I have also asked the same question to the AI-based Perplexity browser and the results provided are about (only?) 50% similar to Google’s. At least, the former states the sources where it took the piece of info, showing what is already known: these systems crawl the Internet, combine similar pieces of info into one but, in these current times, only human experience and knowledge seem to be still essential to produce reliable analyses that could lead to decision-making processes that could properly translated theory into practice.
I would like to personally wish each of you a Happy and Prosperous 2026!
Stefano Mainero
EPN Consulting and EPN Consulting Research and Innovation Founder & CEO
Article written by human beings without any use of AI. EPN Consulting Ltd. copyright 2025
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