Exploring stakeholder perceptions: Implementation challenges of shared autonomous vehicles

• Exploratory qualitative approach, including semi-structured interviews with 29 high-level experts from different stakeholder groups and regions. • Data analysis using Braun & Clarke’s thematic analysis, revealing five key implementation challenges (themes) including several sub-themes. • The results show that, overall, technical , economic , regulatory , structural/ organization , and societal/ behavioural are the major implementation challenges. The deployment of shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) represents a major shift in urban mobility. Hereby, the scalable implementation of SAVs poses numerous challenges to stakeholders, making thorough exploratory research to identify these challenges essential. This study aims to identify the implementation challenges for the commercial and scalable deployment of SAVs using an exploratory qualitative approach, including semi-structured interviews with 29 high-level experts from different stakeholder groups and regions. The data was analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. Ultimately, the analysis revealed five key implementation challenges: technical (focusing on digital driver readiness, infrastructure, and safety), economic (highlighting funding, profitability, and business model viability), regulatory (addressing approval and regulatory processes), structural/ organisational (highlighting stakeholder collaboration, market fragmentation, and operational complexity), and societal/ behavioural (considering user acceptance, abilities, and societal impact). These themes highlight the multifaceted barriers to SAV deployment and assist to formulate actionable recommendations and managerial implications for solution strategies.