Investigation of research gaps and needs with regard to the use of model-based systems engineering for the development of barrier-free vehicles

Systems Engineering (SE) and in particular Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) are disciplines that are particularly suitable for the development of complex systems. MBSE is therefore often used for developments in the fields of vehicle technology and mobility systems, as these systems are highly complex. In these areas, there is a clear trend in research and development towards innovative and sustainable public mobility systems. For this purpose, vehicles are being developed that are specially adapted for use in the respective mobility systems and are designed to meet the needs of customers. An important feature of vehicles used in such a mobility system, which is intended for the general public, is that the vehicles should be as accessible and barrier-free as possible.The integration of systems that can be used for the barrier-free design of vehicles is also characterised by a high degree of complexity. This is due to the very different requirements that different types of mobility restrictions entail, the technical design of the systems themselves, the interaction of the individual systems and the limitations imposed by the vehicles in terms of payload and installation space. By adding the high degree of complexity of the vehicles themselves, an accessible or barrier-free vehicle therefore represents a system with a high degree of complexity. However, the integration of accessibility elements into an existing vehicle is also associated with a high degree of complexity for the reasons mentioned above.Due to the complexity associated with the barrier-free vehicle system, the use of MBSE to develop vehicles that are as barrier-free as possible seems very sensible. Due to the relatively large proportion of people with mobility impairments, ethical aspects and the legal framework in various countries that prioritise inclusion, the topic of barrier-free mobility is also highly relevant. For these reasons, a closer look at the use of MBSE for the development of accessible vehicles is justified. For the reasons explained above, this article will first analyse the extent to which MBSE is already being used for the development of accessible vehicles. In particular, the methods and tools of MBSE that have been designed specifically for the development of accessible vehicles or that support them are analysed. For this purpose, a systematic literature review is carried out, which shows that there are large research gaps with regard to the use of MBSE for the development of barrier-free vehicles. The next step of the article examines and justifies why there is a need to close the identified research gaps, so that a need for research is identified. Furthermore, the article looks at which approaches exist in the literature that could be used to design MBSE methods and tools that address the development of accessible vehicles. This step also includes an analysis that identifies the gaps and needs in the area of tools for the development of accessible vehicles beyond the MBSE.