# Synergies and Potential of Industry 4.0 and Automated Vehicles in Smart City Infrastructure
## 2 Materials and Methods  
In this article, the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies and automated vehicles within smart city infrastructure is analyzed. To achieve this goal, different methods and approaches that allowed us to analyze the topic with a sufficient level of detail were used. In order to explain the steps of the research conducted, we have summarized them in the following Figure 1 with a description of each step. The research was conducted, and the manuscript was written through a systematic process that involved several key steps. * Literature review--the process began with an extensive review of existing literature on the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies and automated vehicles in smart cities. This involved searching scholarly databases, reports, and case studies. The literature review aimed to gather a comprehensive understanding of the current state of knowledge, identify gaps, and inform the research questions and objectives. * Research design--based on the insights gained from the literature review, the research design was formulated. This included defining the scope and objectives of the study, determining the methodology, and outlining the structure of the manuscript. The research design aimed to ensure that the study addressed the research questions effectively and followed a systematic approach to data collection and analysis. * Data collection--the next step involved collecting data relevant to the research objectives. This included gathering information from scholarly articles, government reports, industry publications, and other sources. Data collection methods included keyword searches, citation tracking, and consultation with subject matter experts to identify relevant literature. Figure 1: Steps of research. Source: Own processing. * Data analysis--once the data were collected, they were analyzed to extract key findings, themes, and patterns. This involved organizing the data, coding information based on predefined categories or themes, and synthesizing the results. Data analysis aimed to identify trends, gaps, and areas of consensus or contention in the literature. * Synthesis and interpretation--the synthesized findings were then interpreted in the context of the research objectives and existing knowledge in the field. This involved drawing connections between different studies, identifying overarching themes or trends, and critically evaluating the evidence. The synthesis process aimed to generate new insights and perspectives on the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies and automated vehicles in smart cities. * Manuscript writing--with the synthesized findings and interpretations in hand, the manuscript was written following a structured format. This typically included sections such as an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, conclusions, and recommendations. The manuscript writing process involved crafting clear, concise, and coherent pose that effectively communicated the research findings and their implications. * Revision and editing--after the initial draft of the manuscript was completed, it underwent multiple rounds of revision and editing. This involved refining the language, clarifying arguments, addressing feedback from co-authors or reviewers, and ensuring consistency and accuracy throughout the text. The revision process aimed to improve the quality and readability of the manuscript before submission for publication. The methodology used in the article belongs to the descriptive or qualitative approach. This methodology involves a review of the existing literature and a description of the findings without the need to conduct specific experimental procedures or quantitative analyses. Instead, it relies on the synthesis of information from a variety of sources to provide a comprehensive overview of the subject matter [6]. A multifaceted approach was used, combining a literature review with a selection of case studies to explore the potential of integrating Industry 4.0 and Automated Vehicles (AVs) within smart city infrastructure.