GM x UofM

General Motors (GM) partnered with the University of Michigan (UofM) to facilitate students' exploration and comprehension of the design of in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems. As part of this collaboration, we visited GM's office in Warren, MI, where we received a comprehensive design brief and gained insight into GM's IVI design process. We learned about the specific approaches taken by various GM car teams, such as those responsible for Buick, Chevrolet, and Cadillac vehicles. The given design brief :

Develop a new In-vehicle experience for the luxury car segment focusing on in-car themes.

Global car Market Overview

We Began by familiarizing ourselves with the key players in the automotive sector. Although our primary focus lies on luxury cars, it's crucial to comprehend the broader market spectrum and their respective priorities. Here is what we found:

Mass Market cars

• Large center display accessible to the front passenger is a fundamental requirement.
• Optional driver displays to provide cost-saving options for customers.
• Emphasis on easy navigation and functionality tailored to essential features.
• Prioritized functions are Audio, Maps, and Clean content options.

Luxury cars

• No restrictions on screen sizes and technology.
• Consideration for passenger displays to enhance the overall luxury experience.
• The luxury car users care about comfort, features, and convenience above all else.
• Luxury car brands use elegance, aesthetics, sound, storytelling, sensual imagery, lighting, ambiance, and lifestyle associations, to create a captivating experience.

Performance cars

• Cluster and HUD screens are prioritized over center displays for performance enhancement.
• Focus primarily on the driver; less concern for passenger comfort.
• Gauges take precedence over audio and map functionalities.

The future of Luxury

According to market research, the luxury car market is expected to grow soon. This makes it even more important for us to keep in mind the increasing size of the market, especially because competitors are trying hard to stand out. Companies are paying close attention to how cars look, feel, and function inside. They're taking advantage of this opportunity by adding features that transform the in-car experience, like changing screen graphics, lighting, motion, and even sound.

Luxury car owners want more than just basic transportation - they're after something extra!

The  Benchmarks

Decoding Luxury

Through conversations and insights into people's perceptions of luxury, we sought to unravel what luxury truly means to people. From these discussions, emerged key themes, with a prevailing notion being that luxury equates to "Agency over time." This fundamental concept served as the foundation for our overarching theme, "Timeless."

Design Constraints

General Motors (GM) provided us with specific design constraints, detailing the exact dimensions for each screen within the car, including those for the front/bottom console, instrument cluster, and center display.

Design Considerations

NHTSA Guidelines

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA)  guidelines were a crucial consideration during the design of our In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) system. These include:

• The driver should be able to keep at least one hand on the steering wheel while performing a secondary task.
• The distraction induced by any secondary task performed while driving should not exceed that associated with a baseline reference task.
• Any task performed by a driver should be interruptible at any time.
• The driver, not the system/device, should control the pace of task interactions.
• Displays should be easy for the driver to see and content presented should be easily discernible.

Psychology in Automotive UX

We integrated psychology concepts into our HMI design, laying the groundwork for the design phase.

Jakob’s Law

This law states that users spend most of their time on other sites, and they prefer your site to work the same as all the other sites they already know. Design considerations stemming from this principle include:

• Maintain consistent navigation patterns across different screens to ensure users can easily find their way around.
• Use commonly recognized icons and symbols for functions such as navigation, settings, and multimedia controls.
• Design interactions and gestures that are intuitive and resemble those used in popular smartphone apps, reducing the learning curve for users.

Fitt's Law

This law states that the time to acquire a target is a function of the distance to and size of the target. Design considerations stemming from this principle include:

• Touch targets should be large enough for user’s to accurately select them. Touch minimum of 72dpi.
• Touch targets should have ample spacing between them.
• Touch targets should be placed in areas of an interface that allow them to be easily acquired.

Hick's Law

This law states that the time it takes to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices. Design considerations stemming from this principle include:

• Reduce the number of choices, especially if time is limited. Keep in mind that introducing in-car themes gives a fresh and exciting experience but keeps the complexity of the tasks simple.
• Break down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. For ex. Adjusting the climate control settings can be broken down into smaller, sequential steps. For example: Select temperature, then adjust fan speed and then choose airflow direction.

Information Architecture

In automobiles, the content largely remains standardized, as every car features similar information and controls for users. The distinctiveness lies in how this information is structured across each car's screens. Automotive UX revolves around the art of information architecture, where every layout speaks volumes about user experience.

In car theme : Timeless

Inspired by insights from decoding luxury, we've crafted an overarching theme called Timeless. The 2 main themes under this are:

• Memoir (the past): Symbolizes the vintage allure of Memoir, evoking feelings of nostalgia and regality. Reveals  the richness of history and tradition, reminiscent of bygone eras. Inspired by elements of royal grandeur and classic charm into the design language.
• Avante (the future): Embraces the forward-thinking ethos of Avante, characterized by minimalism and modernity. Strives for simplicity and sleekness.

Memoir : The Past

VINTAGE    .     ROYAL     .     NOSTALAGIA

Other Work

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