Older woman using a tablet to plan a trip.

Tech-Savvy Seniors: Bridging the Digital Divide for Easier Travel

Theo Raines in Tech & Innovation December 2025 • 3 min read.

"Unlock stress-free journeys: How personalized tech and inclusive design are revolutionizing travel for older adults, ensuring safer, simpler, and more connected experiences."

The world is aging. The number of individuals over 65 is rapidly increasing, bringing with it a growing need to address their unique mobility and transportation requirements. While technology holds immense promise for enhancing the lives of older adults by providing greater mobility and independence, a digital divide persists, leaving many feeling excluded and at risk of isolation.

This article explores how to bridge this digital gap and empower older travelers through technology. It delves into the key changes needed to make transport technologies more accessible, examines the barriers preventing engagement with new technologies, and highlights the importance of user-centered design.

Drawing from a study involving interviews with older adults and experts, we uncover actionable recommendations and insights for creating a future where technology truly serves the needs of all travelers, regardless of age.

Addressing the Needs of Aging Travelers: Key Insights

Older woman using a tablet to plan a trip.

Recent research highlights several key areas to consider when designing technology for older travelers:

Here's what they are:

Maintaining Control: Older adults value autonomy and are often resistant to technologies that take away their sense of control.
Social Connection: Travel often serves as a means of social interaction. Technology should enhance, not replace, these valuable connections.
Trust and Reliability: Building trust in new technology is crucial. Older adults need to feel confident that systems are secure, reliable, and will perform as expected.
Ease of Use and Simplicity: Complex interfaces and jargon-heavy instructions create barriers. Technology should be intuitive and easy to learn.

These insights underscore the need for technology that is not only functional but also respects the values and preferences of older adults.

Looking Ahead: Personalization and Inclusive Design

The future of travel for older adults hinges on personalization and inclusive design. As the older population becomes increasingly diverse, technology must adapt to individual needs and preferences.

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) and autonomous vehicles (AVs) hold immense potential for providing customized transportation solutions. However, these technologies must be designed with user-centered principles to ensure they are accessible and beneficial for all.

By embracing user-centered design and prioritizing the needs of older adults, we can create a future where technology empowers everyone to travel with confidence, independence, and joy.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.trf.2018.10.019, Alternate LINK

Title: Increasing Mobility For Older Travellers Through Engagement With Technology

Subject: Applied Psychology

Journal: Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: J. Harvey, W. Guo, S. Edwards

Published: 2019-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

Why is maintaining control so vital for older adults when they're using travel technology?

For older adults, maintaining a sense of autonomy is incredibly important when using new technologies. They often resist technologies that seem to take away their control over the travel experience. This means that technology design should prioritize user choice and flexibility, allowing older travelers to feel empowered rather than overwhelmed by automated systems.

How can travel technology better support and enhance the social connections that are important to older travelers?

Travel is frequently a social activity for older adults, allowing them to connect with friends and family. Technology should enhance these interactions, not replace them. For instance, apps that facilitate group travel planning or allow easy sharing of travel experiences can help maintain social connections. This approach acknowledges that travel is as much about the people we meet as the places we go.

What steps can technology developers take to build trust and ensure reliability for older adults using travel apps and devices?

Building trust in new technologies is crucial for older adults. They need to feel confident that the systems they use are secure, reliable, and will perform as expected. Developers can build trust by providing clear and transparent information about how the technology works, offering robust customer support, and ensuring data privacy. Demonstrating reliability through consistent performance is also key to gaining user confidence.

What makes technology 'easy to use' for older adults, and how can designers simplify travel interfaces?

Older adults often face barriers when technology is complex or uses jargon-heavy instructions. Ease of use and simplicity are paramount. Interfaces should be intuitive, and instructions should be clear and straightforward. Features like large buttons, simplified menus, and voice command options can significantly improve the user experience for older travelers. Design must minimize cognitive load and make the technology accessible to individuals with varying levels of digital literacy.

Why are personalization and inclusive design so critical in shaping the future of travel technology for older adults?

Personalization and inclusive design are essential for the future of travel for older adults. As the older population becomes increasingly diverse, technology must adapt to individual needs and preferences. This involves creating customizable interfaces, offering options for different sensory and cognitive abilities, and considering cultural backgrounds. Inclusive design ensures that technology is accessible and beneficial to all older travelers, regardless of their unique circumstances.