The Role of Pilot- and Demonstration Projects in Accelerating Hyperloop: A Multi-level Perspective towards Large-scale Technological Transitions - Maglev as a Case Study

The contemporary transportation system is encountering drawbacks related to air pollution, noise nuisance and traffic congestion. Emerging sustainable alternatives based on magnetic levitation have emerged but failed to successfully breakthrough in incumbent regimes based on high-speed rail and air transportation. Emerging innovation systems face difficulties in obtaining enough momentum necessary to break out of the niche level and induce a technological transition. Therefore, it is important to understand the changing roles that pilot-and demonstration projects have in the build-up processes of emerging innovation systems. As a start, the role of pilot- and demonstration projects together with the state-of-the-art literature on innovation systems and technological transitions is analyzed. A conceptual framework is constructed and empirically tested with a longitudinal case study on the emergence of the high-speed maglev transportation innovation system in Germany and Japan. In conclusion, the recognition of the changing roles of pilot- and demonstration projects along the motors of innovation together with anticipation of the landscape and regime developments could result in enhanced momentum for emerging innovation systems to break out successfully of the niche level.Management of Technology (MoT