A Sustainable Development Process for Visually Interactive Companions in Ubiquitous Passenger Information Systems

Thomas Schlegel () and Waldemar Titov
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Thomas Schlegel: Institute for Intelligent Interactive Ubiquitous Systems (IIIUS), Hochschule Furtwangen University, Robert-Gerwig-Platz 1, 78120 Furtwangen, Germany
Waldemar Titov: Institute for Intelligent Interactive Ubiquitous Systems (IIIUS), Hochschule Furtwangen University, Robert-Gerwig-Platz 1, 78120 Furtwangen, Germany

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-55

Abstract: In today’s increasingly complex and multimodal mobility environments, passengers are confronted with fragmented information, inconsistent user interfaces, and limited context-adaptivity across public transport systems and services. These challenges hinder a positive mobility experience, reduce trust, and limit the broader adoption of sustainable transport options. This paper addresses these gaps by introducing a structured, user-centered development methodology for Visually Interactive Companion Technologies in Ubiquitous Passenger Information Systems (VICUPISs). The approach incorporates system characteristics, contextual factors, and a comprehensive process framework. Drawing on applied research and development projects, the methodology defines a five-phase development cycle—from field to concept and back—combining expert insights and user participation across iterative development stages. A central contribution is the integration of a rich context model spanning eight dimensions, enabling adaptive, multimodal, and personalized interaction across mobile, embedded, and public displays. The methodology also incorporates AI-supported adaptivity and addresses the resulting challenges for usability evaluation. Sustainability is considered at three levels: resource-efficient system development, long-term extensibility and adaptability of digital systems, and support for a modal shift toward environmentally friendly public transport. The proposed methodology offers a replicable and transferable foundation for designing human-centered, future-ready information systems in public mobility, complemented by practical heuristics and insights from two case studies of sustainable transport ecosystems.

Keywords: public transport; sustainable mobility systems; companion technologies; context-adaptivity; passenger information systems; adaptive user interfaces; system development process; context model; context-adaptive systems; interactive systems development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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