Project Manager, UX Research & Design
3 Months [2023]
Brief
Primary RESEARCH
12 Interviews
54 Survey Responses
Car Show Visit
Secondary RESEARCH
Timeline Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Stakeholder Map
Affinity Mapping
After conducting 18 interviews across a wide range of users and SMEs such as healthcare designers, hospice nurses, medical professors, and EMTs, findings were affinitized according to both features and feelings to form key insights.
Insights
Passengers trust humans to make similar judgments on the road.
The lack of understanding of technology behind autonomous driving leads to fear and distrust in handing over driving control to vehicle, illustrating a mental model hurdle.
Fear, distrust, and confusion outweigh convenience of driving features more complex than cruise control.
Current cabin space presents no solutions to place or interact with personal items and leads to frustration.
Some of most joyful conversations happen in the vehicle but the back row is neglected, creating a front row supremacy.
Infotainment systems provide insufficient functionalities so users turn to other devices for needs in digital life.
CONCEPTS
After rounds of ideation, the idea of a Digital Driver bridging passengers and autonomous systems, along with a central hub for interaction and storage, revolving seats for equitable cabin social engagement, and touchscreen trajectory control leveraging
existing mental model stoodout.
Testing
A low fidelity concept environment was created to validate and refine the experience. The Digital Driver was mocked up with a Pepper's Ghost illusion HUD with three levels of feedback shown. A TV screen played windshield scenarios while a tablet showcased three variations of trajectory control for user input.
Digital Driver
Introducing the Digital Driver, a holographic assistant designed to bridge the gap between people and autonomous systems. Combining human-like features with automation, it reacts to vehicle dynamics, shows awareness of driving, expresses emotions, and interacts with users. By mimicking real driver behaviors and suggesting personalized routes, the Digital Driver makes travel smoother, more intuitive, and stress-free — allowing passengers to relax, focus on work, or simply enjoy the ride.
Trajectory Control
Instead of a steering wheel, the vehicle features a virtual command interface that allows users to control it by selecting and drawing trajectories from anywhere in the cabin. This touchscreen-based
system offers flexibility for other activities, like watching movies or joining video conferences, while embracing natural user interfaces (NUIs). By leveraging familiar mental models, it ensures a smooth transition into an autonomous future with a shallow learning curve
and enhanced versatility.
COAXIAL LAYOUT
The cabin was redesigned with two swivel front seats, a rear couch,
and a Central Hub at the center. This layout encourages face-to-face conversations between rows while maintaining intimacy for one-on-one interactions in the front. The design fosters a social and adaptable space, ideal for both personal and shared experiences.
Addressing the trust between users and autonomous systems, DriveXP brings equity and versatility into the cabin environment.
DriveXP is the user-centered future we envision.
