Self-Explanation as a Basis for Self-Integration - The Autonomous Passenger Ferry Scenario

Self-improving system integration (SISSY) considers the active and machine learning-based control of the integration state of autonomous subsystems in an overall context. This integration pertains to how autonomous subsystems are combined and interconnected within the overall system. It encompasses the configuration and relationship of these subsystems, contributing to the continuous improvement and enhancement of the entire system. In this article, we discuss future autonomous ferries as an example application for SISSY systems and show that self-explanatory behaviour is an important factor for such SISSY systems. Starting from the baseline scenario, we derive a research agenda towards self-explanatory autonomous ferries and discuss how the SISSY initiative can profit from the example.