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arXiv · 2607.11232

Modular Autonomous Transit: From Vehicle Modularity to Deployment-Ready Transit Operations

Dongyang Xia·Shadi Sharif Azadeh
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Abstract

Audience: Tech companies such as NExT leadership; public transport operators; autonomous transit developers; charging partners; public authorities, and industrial partners considering pilots. Content: The strongest aspect of Modular Autonomous Vehicles (MAVs) is not only that vehicles can physically couple. A MAV is composed of Modular Autonomous Units (MAUs), and modularity creates operating advantages across line-level operations, intermodal services, network-level operations, stochastic real-time control, and electrified vehicle operations and charging infrastructure. Research basis and disclaimer: The brief summarizes scientific findings of four studies conducted by Dr. Xia and Dr. Sharif Azadeh on modular transit operations, including a charging infrastructure study using technical data associated with NExT MAUs.

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Dongyang Xia, Shadi Sharif Azadeh. 2026-07-13. Modular Autonomous Transit: From Vehicle Modularity to Deployment-Ready Transit Operations. https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.11232

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