Super apps and the mobility transition

Abstract

The mobility sector is undergoing a transformation towards a multimodal, sustainable, and user-centric system, driven by technological advancements and evolving business models. Super apps, which have already matured in Eastern markets, are now entering Western markets through the mobility sector, where they are poised to play a pivotal role in the mobility transition. We argue that the expected uptake of super apps will drive a transition towards a multi-service system, promoting the adoption of more sustainable transport modes while creating synergies with non-transport services. However, there remains a significant gap in research that explores the role of super apps within the broader context of mobility transitions. This perspective seeks to address this gap by describing how super apps could influence existing transport systems, while identifying future research areas such as regulatory frameworks, governance models, transition pathways and incumbent business model adaptation, and the socio-economic impacts of accelerating platformization.