CoSiMo Research Project

Kick off of CoSiMo – Open Concierge System for Inclusive Mobility is a research project co-funded by the European Union and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (EFRE – Next.In.NRW). The project is being implemented jointly by the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences, the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, and XignSys GmbH. Prof. Hans Sachs and Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Ulrich Nether of the IDS (Institute for Designstrategies) are leading the project

CoSiMo (Concierge System for Inclusive Mobility) develops an open, interoperable AI-based assistance system designed to support people throughout their mobility journey. The project combines research and practice to create a secure, decentralized communication standard that enables virtual agents to interact directly with vehicles, infrastructure, and personal devices — independent of proprietary platform ecosystems.

As AI systems based on large language models increasingly shape everyday life, their integration into physical environments remains technically fragmented and often dependent on non-European providers. CoSiMo addresses this gap by developing an open European communication standard that enables device-to-device interaction between AI agents, sensors, and actuators. The system follows a capability-based architecture in which devices describe their functions rather than exposing unnecessary data. Temporary digital authorizations ensure privacy, security, and data minimization by design.

At the core of the project is a personalized, multimodal AI concierge acting as an embodied assistant. The agent supports users through natural interaction, combining speech, contextual awareness, adaptive lighting, and audio feedback. Particular emphasis is placed on inclusion and accessibility: the system is designed to accommodate diverse user groups, including older adults, children, people with disabilities, and individuals without access to private vehicles.

The real-world test environment for CoSiMo is the MonoCab — an autonomous, single-rail vehicle concept for individual public transport in rural and peri-urban regions. Within this living lab setting, the communication standard and the AI concierge are implemented, tested, and evaluated under realistic operational conditions. This allows the project to examine usability, safety, trust, and social acceptance alongside technical performance.

CoSiMo follows a human-centered and interdisciplinary research approach, integrating expertise from mobility engineering, human-computer interaction, behavioral science, and decentralized systems architecture. By combining open technological standards with inclusive design principles, the project contributes to strengthening digital sovereignty in Europe while supporting the transition toward sustainable and socially equitable mobility systems.

The project runs from February 1, 2026, to June 30, 2028, and is co-funded by the European Union and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia—specifically the State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection, and Energy.