Towards safe remote operation of automated buses: A systematic review of insights from comparable domains

For automated buses to become viable, remote operators must supervise multiple vehicles from dedicated control rooms. Experiences from comparable domains such as maritime, aviation, and industrial automation show that remote monitoring and assistance introduce safety-critical challenges related to human performance, system transparency, and human-automation collaboration. This paper presents a scoping review using PRISMA methodology across Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and TRID, synthesizing studies on remote operation of automated buses and relevant insights from comparable domains. The studies are mapped onto a holistic work-system model to identify challenges involving the operator, tasks, technology, organization, and work environment. Drawing on socio-technical system theory and research in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), we recommend that future research includes user centered design studies conducted in realistic work environments, and that the further development of remote operations seek solutions to key challenges by combining measures addressing all the work system elements; that is the organization, the work environment, the tasks, the tools and technology and the remote operator.

Keywords: Automated transport, remote operation, control room, system design, work-system model.