A durable in-car interface design for future Lightyear models

Abstract

A significant problem within the automotive industry and for in-car interfaces in general, is the fact that the in-car user experience becomes obsolete at a much faster pace over time compared to the potential lifespan of the car itself. Moreover, there is also a societal future need for long lasting products in order to have a positive impact on sustainability to achieve the goals as decribed in the EU Road Map to a Resource Efficient Europe by 2050 (Cooper, 2010)(den Hollander 2014). Both these statements form the personal incentives and indicate its relevance. This project aims at developing a design proposal of a durable in-car interface for future Lightyear models. This proposal is based on updateability by designing a both physically and digitally updateable in-car interface. The design process is done through a user-centered approach which can be utilized for future designs of in-car interfaces or as a approach in itself.


Problem

When the user experiences a sense of obsolescence of the in-car experience, it causes users no longer
perceiving the interfaces as useful and/or meaningful, which causes them no longer regarding the interfaces as useful and/or meaningful. This results in people perceiving the product as if its no longer relevant although it still has a substantial life to come. For an in-car interface many resources were acquired for development and production purposes. Subsequently, a user-centered design approach of extending product lifetime, is not (yet) focussed on within the automotive industry, and especially not within the design fields of in-car interfaces.


Challenge

The main challenge is to create a durable in-car interface by doing research, user tests, and apply design principles within in-car interfaces to manage obsolescence of the in-car user experience.

Literature Studies

In order to come up with a suitable concept, extensive literature research, context research, future framing, evaluation sessions, and user tests are done in order to identify design principles that a conceptual solution can be built upon. The concept includes three main principles based on existing literature and methods for managing obsolescence described by the following typologies:

- Extended Use
- Recovery
- Long Use

These principles are named this report respectively: Smart Support, User as Creator, and Concept of Time.


Research & Evaluation

The user evaluation sessions and user tests provide insights in use and to validate interaction design principles. Three principles have been tested in order to establish clear guidelines for the final design proposal. The objective of the user tests was to gain knowledge about to what extent these principles facilitate the user’s behaviour, needs, wants, expectations, and preferences.



Design Proposal

After the evaluation and testing phase a clear design proposal can be formulated. It is concluded that the design of an in-car interface should have a supporting system that analyzes the use and gives feedback and recommendations on the basis of a performed analysis by this sytem which is customized to the users average rides and interface use. Secondly the design should have a modular principle aiming at updating physical functional modules. Lightyear should provide installation support for updating physical modules and/or panels. In terms of payment, most users prefer paying by one time purchase for (physical) updates over time, to make a well considered decision on what and when to update.


Essential Factors

In order to solve the problem, it requires not only a new way of designing in-car interfaces, but also demands to rethink product lifecycle management, product value proposition, and a circular business model in order to enable successful implementation. Though the prospect of this needed change starts by a change in mindset on durability of the in-car experience for both the future user as well as Lightyear as a company.