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Vehicle, Driver, and Road Digital Twins for Connected Mobility: A Critical Review and Unified Conceptual Framework

Author

Listed:
  • Özlem Kaya

    (Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Bologna, 40136 Bologna, Italy)

  • Lorenzo Bacchiani

    (Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Bologna, 40136 Bologna, Italy)

  • Andrea Melis

    (Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Bologna, 40136 Bologna, Italy)

  • Roberta Presta

    (Centro Scienza Nuova, Universita’ degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa, 80135 Napoli, Italy)

  • Chan-Tong Lam

    (Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao 999078, China)

  • Giovanni Pau

    (Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Bologna, 40136 Bologna, Italy)

  • Roberto Girau

    (Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Bologna, 40136 Bologna, Italy)

Abstract

Digital Twin (DT) technologies are increasingly adopted in the automotive domain to support real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and connected decision-making across vehicles, drivers, and road infrastructure. However, research on Vehicle, Driver, and Road Digital Twins (VDTs, DrDTs, and RDTs) remains fragmented, with heterogeneous definitions, architectural assumptions, and integration strategies. This paper presents a critical review of seventy-six studies published between 2008 and 2025, examining how these three DT domains are modeled, evaluated, and connected within intelligent mobility scenarios. The review synthesizes recurring architectural patterns, communication and computing choices, and the role of interoperability and standardization in multi-twin systems. It also highlights open challenges involving distributed coordination, semantic alignment, real-time operation, and driver-aware adaptation. Based on this analysis, the paper presents a unified conceptual framework for connected automotive digital twins and discusses key directions for building scalable and safety-aware mobility services.

Suggested Citation

  • Özlem Kaya & Lorenzo Bacchiani & Andrea Melis & Roberta Presta & Chan-Tong Lam & Giovanni Pau & Roberto Girau, 2026. "Vehicle, Driver, and Road Digital Twins for Connected Mobility: A Critical Review and Unified Conceptual Framework," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-31, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jftint:v:18:y:2026:i:6:p:277-:d:1949687
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