Project_GM_Horizon

ABOUT THE PROJECT

- This project was part of the UX Design master's program at the College for Creative Studies and was sponsored by General Motors. I collaborated with a student specializing in exterior design and another focusing on interior design, both from the BFA Transportation Design program at the College for Creative Studies. Our team was tasked by GM to design the UI/UX, exterior, and interior of a Level 4 autonomous vehicle for active lifestyle drivers.

CONSTRAINT

- Different approaches and design processes for addressing design problems in UX design andtransportation design.

OUTCOME

- Conducted usability tests, iterated prototypes, and integrated user feedback, resulting in enhanced traffic safety during bicycle training by improving the interaction between users and the vehicle's wrap-around display.

- Successfully demonstrated how a vehicle can enhance and support active lifestyles through interactive wrap-around displays.

IMPACT

- Horizon has the potential to support training activities such as running, tennis, swimming, and others, not just bicycle training.

- Its features for sports, off-roading, camping, and other outdoor activities cater to enthusiasts of diverse active lifestyles, making it a vehicle with the potential to support an active lifestyle.

SPONSOR

- General Motors

MY ROLE WAS

- UX Design
- UI Design

TOOL

- Figma
- Adobe After Effects

PLATFORM

- Vehicle Display

I WORKED WITH

- Interior Designer: Frank Park
- Exterior Designer: Daniel Tao

YEAR

- January 2024 ~ April 2024

CLASS

- UX DESIGN STUDIO IV

SOLUTION

THE VEHICLE FOR YOU

The Multi-Purpose Adventure Compact SUV
for an 2040 active lifestyle, HORIZON

MAIN FEATURE

Horizon supports bicycle training with a rear display to enhance an active lifestyle.

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SUB FEATURES

Horizon offers sub-features that make an active lifestyle efficient and convenient.

AR-based luggage recognition and organization

Versatile spacious storage

PROBLEM

People who enjoy an active lifestyle often experience a lot of stress in their daily lives and seek to escape from their monotonous routines.

I conducted a survey with 32 individuals who lead an active lifestyle to understand their main activities and motivations. The results showed that they primarily engage in cycling to maintain their health and relieve stress from work and monotous daily life.

Q. What Activities Do You Engage in for an Active Lifestyle?

Q. Why do you engage in these activities?

INSIGHT

Active lifestyle drivers want features that support bicycle training and assist in organizing their gear.

In the previous survey, I conducted in-depth interviews with selected participants about how a 2040 vehicle could support their active lifestyle. I found that they want the vehicle to support bicycle riding to relieve stress and ensure safe cycling. They also desire features that assist with organizing their gear, as they find loading and unloading bicycle-related equipment cumbersome.

Active lifestyle driver

- He has experienced health problems due to stress from his job.

- He finds it a hassle to load the gear into the car every time.

- He wants to ride his bike safely on the road.

- He wants to receive support that helps with his training while cycling.

How might we design a Level 4 autonomous vehicle to support active lifestyle drivers?

idea sketch

Idea sketches to support active lifestyle drivers.

The pain points for active lifestyle drivers when cycling are the need for bike training support during cycling and the hassle of organizing gear in the car. I wanted to address these pain points, so I brainstormed and sketched ideas with my team members.

1) Cycling training support provided by the rear display.

2) The rear display provides protective support by following the cyclist.

3) Versatile storage and AR-based organization system.

Validating Ideas

Testing the Biking Scenario for an Active Lifestyle.

Among ideas, we determined that the 'biking' scenario effectively represents an active lifestyle. Therefore, we conducted moderated usability testings: 1) Setting up bike training with a smartwatch, 2) Bike training using a rear vehicle display. I gave specific scenarios and tasks to participants, observed their reactions, and collected qualitative feedback.

USER SCENARIO 01

Setting up bike training with a smartwatch.

First prototype

Usability Issues with Smartwatch Setup for Bike Training.

Before starting the bike training using the rear vehicle display, users had to set up the training with a smartwatch. During this process, they found the goal-setting steps to be time-consuming and questioned the necessity of setting specific targets.

Users feedback

- The goal-setting steps are time-consuming.

- For casual cyclists who want to enjoy biking without a professional approach, setting specific goals might not be necessary.

-The goal-setting feature can be beneficial for athletes who desire professional training.

FINAL prototype

Location-based course recommendations tailored for enjoyment and stress relief.

For Horizon's target users, cycling is primarily a leisure activity aimed at enjoyment and stress relief rather than strict training. Therefore, to provide a more personalized and enjoyable experience, we replaced the goal-setting feature with location-based course recommendations.

Final prototype Animation

USER SCENARIO 02

Bike training using a rear vehicle display.

First prototype

Users seek trust and safety from the rear display.

Users can interact with this display located at the rear of the vehicle to engage in cycling training. However, they provided feedback that they feel unsafe and anxious while cycling because they cannot see the road ahead.

Users feedback

- Trusting this car is uncertain due to the inability to see the situation ahead.

- Anxiety arises from not being able to see the situation ahead.

-The information on the display was easy to understand.

- The messages motivated users to ride their bikes more.

second prototype

A display that can detect the situation ahead, but with low readability and visibility.

To ensure users feel safe and can trust the vehicle display during bike training, I made the front view visible on the rear display. This display shows the situation ahead, but the overlay of speed information and numbers obstructs the view, making it difficult to see the road properly.

User feedback

- Due to the UI elements on the display, the user can't focus on cycling.

- Being able to see the situation ahead helps with cycling.

Final prototype

A display that enhances readability and visibility, ensuring clear safety and trust.

I addressed issues from previous prototypes by establishing hierarchy, adding a staying safe feature, and reducing visual obstructions.

Clear Hierarchy

By clearly dividing the hierarchy—placing vehicle and bicycle status on the left, prompts and speed in the center, and the cyclist's current state on the right—we have improved readability.

Staying Safe Feature

Previously, there was no clear indication of a safe distance. I added this feature to maintain a safe distance between the cyclist and the vehicle, increasing user trust and reducing anxiety.

Reduced Visual Obstruction

I replaced the circular speedometer with a linear speedometer to avoid obstructing the cyclist's view, thereby enhancing both safety and clarity.

FINAL PRESENTATION

Successfully Unifying Exterior, Interior, and UX

Four months after starting the project, during the final presentation, we received praise from GM for successfully integrating the exterior, interior, and UX.

"The use of the vehicle for unique experiences was impressive, especially the experience of cyclists training alongside the vehicle."

"The integration of warning messages like 'too close' and 'too far' effectively enhanced the user experience."

"The story effectively collected and showcased the features of the project, and the inclusion of humor in the storytelling was effective. The pace of the video was also appropriate."

IMPACT to the real world

In 2040, Horizon will be a vehicle that goes beyond bicycle training, pioneering a healthy and fun active lifestyle.

The interest in health and well-being continues to rise, and this trend is expected to persist into 2040(Deloitte United States). More people will strive to maintain their health through exercise and outdoor activities.

🏃 Expansion Potential

As vehicle technology continues to advance and interest in health increases, Horizon's bicycle training feature can support various fitness training activities such as running, tennis, swimming, and others that people commonly enjoy.

🏕️ Supporting Various Active Lifestyles

Horizon provides various features and necessities for outdoor enthusiasts, including sports, off-roading, and camping. These functionalities, combined with outdoor training, cater to individuals with diverse needs, can support Horizon's distinctive active lifestyle.

What I've learned

Integrative Collaboration and Effective Communication

1. Collaborating with exterior and interior designers specializing in automotive design for the first time was incredibly fascinating as a UX designer. Understanding their design approaches was particularly interesting. I was impressed by their creative thinking and problem-solving methods and how these could be harmonized with UX design. This experience taught me how to integrate various design perspectives.

2. Presenting our project to GM designers and receiving their feedback was a valuable learning experience. I honed my skills in effectively communicating design concepts and rationales, which is crucial for gaining stakeholder buy-in and ensuring project success. Clear and persuasive communication is essential in advocating for design decisions and aligning team members and stakeholders.

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