Project Info
Horus is a new AR navigation system for the car that lets you look forward while staying connected. Horus's advanced augmented reality display projects all the information you need as a transparent image over the road ahead so you'll never miss a turn again or the information that matters most.
UX & UI, User Research, Prototyping
5 weeks
Personal project
Final Deliver
PROCESS
Overview
Almost all car’s driver controls are in the central touchscreen(navigation, information and entertainment systems). Drivers always distract from it which is not safe.
Competitive Analysis
To kick-off and to have a better understanding of our scope, in the beginning, we're unsure if there is any existing competitive product that could provide us enough information. We decide to take a look at the most popular navigation system solutions on the market.
Take Away
Touch operation
Voice control
Confused
Information
1. It's not convenient to control it with gestures even if it’s simple. It is dangerous to get the driver's hand off the steering wheel.
2. Voice control sometimes does not convey the user's meaning well. I need to find better ways to manipulate complex commands.
3. The screen-based interface is very confusing and I need to find a better way to solve it.
Background Research
Distracted driving accidents
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving was a cause of roughly 424,000 accident-related injuries and some 3,154 fatalities in 2013 alone.
* Cognitive distraction
Cognitive or mental distraction is when a driver's mind isn't focused on driving. Talking to another passenger or being preoccupied with personal, family, or work-related issues are some examples. Even drivers listening to their favorite podcast or radio station are at risk; the audio can take drivers' focus away from their driving and overall surroundings.
* Visual distraction
Visual distraction occurs when a driver looks at anything other than the road ahead. Drivers who check the kids' seat belts while driving are visually distracted. Electronic devices for the car, such as GPS devices and portable DVDs/digital entertainment systems, also distract drivers.
* Manual distraction
Manual distraction is when the drivers take one or both hands off the wheel for any reason. Some common examples include eating or drinking in the car, adjusting GPS, or trying to get something from a purse, wallet, or briefcase.
Take Away & Insights
Controlling the central screen and driving is particularly dangerous because it involves all 3 forms. But it is inevitable that this will always happen when driving. And, it is almost impossible for us to avoid Cognitive distraction before autonomous driving is realized. Therefore, the car's navigation system should avoid visual distraction and manual distraction by optimizing the interaction design.
Find out the needs from people
After the survey, we have the opportunity to talk to three peoples and dive deeper into details of their struggles. I conclude the interviews, and here is what they said.
Anna Song
Gaoxiang Gong
Su Shu
"I never use the navigation system that comes with the car. I just like using Google Navigation on my phone. But I was fined by the police when I was driving and using my mobile phone to navigate."
"I love using Carplay because it's easy to connect. I can operate the navigation system on my mobile phone and display it on the screen of the car."
"I rarely use the buttons on the steering wheel because I don't quite understand what kind of operation each button corresponds to."
"I rarely use voice to control Siri because I doubt it will help me because I need to try all the operations before it can become my habit. And usually, I don't try."
Persona
Problems
1. Drivers are easily distracted by the information system.
2. The driver cannot easily control some complicated functions: navigation.
3. The interactive interface of the information system is very confusing.
1. Reduce driver distraction
2. Simplify system operation
How Might We?
Problems
Drivers are easily distracted by the information system.
The driver cannot easily control some complicated functions: navigation system...
The driver feels inconvenient when operating the information system.
Insights
The media screen of most cars is set in the middle of the car. The driver cannot see the road and the display at the same time.
People are still used to using buttons and touch to operate the information system. Because voice can only operate very simple functions, such as switching music, answering calls, etc. However, the driver's frequent touch operation will interfere with driving.
Because the hands need to be placed on the steering wheel, it is not convenient for the driver to control the screen with one hand. And most cars have not designed a better touch screen control interface for users.
How might we?
If we could use new technologies to let people manipulate the information system in other ways?
If we could simplify the steps of interaction and then make it more efficient to use?
If we can find the connection between voice control and operation interface, to simplify the operation?
How might we find a way to let drivers use the system while holding the steering wheel with both hands and watching the road ahead？
How might we find the balance between voice control and graphical interface to make product interaction more efficient?
Ideation
During the class, I did brainstorming with classmates, then I formatted 3 ideas into the sketches. Among them, I gradually narrowed down into one final idea — “Horus”, new information system for car.
