From drivers to digital companions: The ethical and practical challenges of participatory design for human-machine interaction in autonomous buses.

As automation advances in public transportation, the role of bus drivers, whose role goes beyond driving, will no longer be required. This shift presents new challenges for the design of human-machine interaction (HMI) in autonomous buses, particularly with regard to maintaining service quality, safety, and accessibility. This paper explores the potential of participatory design as a methodological approach to address these challenges. It reviews current research applying participatory design in the context of autonomous buses and presents a case study from ongoing doctoral research focused on developing a digital companion to facilitate communication in autonomous buses, addressing a number of ethical and practical challenges involved in the process. Special attention is paid to the ethical dilemma of including bus drivers in participatory processes that can ultimately lead to the automation of their roles - raising questions about empowerment, fairness, and the limits of participatory design.