Growth Opportunities in Shared and Autonomous Mobility, Global, 2026

2025 was a year of mixed outcomes for the shared mobility ecosystem. Electrification saw a huge uptake in the bikesharing segment, especially in North America. While the penetration of electric vehicles (EVs) in ridehailing slowed down, demand response transit (DRT) picked up pace, with nearly 375 new services launched globally, spearheaded by expansion in Japan and South Korea, although growth was muted compared to 2024.

In the carsharing segment, traditional models experienced modest growth. Several operators exited the market as they moved away from unprofitable ventures. Automakers such as Mobilize (Zity), Volvo (Volvo on Demand), and Skoda (HoppyGo) have completely withdrawn from the sector. Meanwhile, peer-to-peer (P2P) services have been gaining momentum in Southeast Asia, reflecting differing consumer preferences and business model viability across regions.

The proven commercial viability and rapid scaling observed in 2025 will accelerate global robotaxi deployments in 2026. After years of testing, autonomous vehicle (AV) technology reached a safety maturity point in late 2025, where the cost per mile for a robotaxi began to fall below that of a human-driven ridehailing vehicle.

Looking ahead to 2026, the market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7% through 2031. Although challenges remain—particularly in fleet scalability and regulatory hurdles—the fundamentals indicate robust growth. Developing economies, especially in Africa and the Middle East, are poised to lead the expansion of demand responsive transit (DRT) and ridehailing. Operators such as Uber, Bolt, and Didi are expected to benefit from support by local governments, particularly in APAC and North America. The role of shared mobility in last-mile and rural transportation will continue to strengthen, supported by public-private partnerships and digital innovation.

As part of this research, Frost & Sullivan examines significant regulations and mandates, funding and investment activities, and critical trends expected to drive the industry in 2026. The study includes an in-depth analysis of seven mobility segments: traditional carsharing, P2P carsharing, bikesharing, ridehailing, DRT, mobility as a service (MaaS), and robotaxis. The analysis also identifies growth opportunities across various business models by region, including Europe, North America, China, India, Australia and New Zealand, South Korea, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Author: Albert Geraldine Priya