PUXD X BNUX

PUXD X BNUX

Reimagined Driving EXperience

Situation

Task

Action

Results

Situation

Task

Action

Results

Situation

FAW Group, one of China's oldest and most profitable auto manufacturers, sponsored a collaborative project between Purdue UX and Beijing Normal University's UX team to conceptualize the future of driving experiences.

Problem

As technology in the automotive industry advances, buyer expectations for in-car experiences are growing beyond simple transportation.

Team

8 UX Design students, and 2 project sponsors in collaboration with BNUX

Timeline

10 weeks, 4 sprints covering different contexts

Task

Our team was tasked with formulating futuristic designs focused on creating delightful experiences for drivers and passengers in semi-autonomous vehicles over the next 10 years. The designs needed to emphasize conceptual innovation rather than engineering feasibility.

My role

  • Ideation

  • Testing

  • Visualization

  • UX research

Tools used

Miro, ProCreate, Pen and Paper, Slides

Action

Research

  • Conducted primary and secondary research on driving experiences and emerging technologies

  • Defined different levels of autonomy for designs

  • Established "charm" as the basis for all designs, categorized into Learning, Personalization, and Immersion

Strategy

  • Implemented an agile framework with 4 sprints over 10 weeks

  • Focused on specific contexts: Family Vacation, Taxi/DiDi, Night Driving, and Traffic Jam

  • Collaborated bi-weekly with Beijing Normal University's UX team

Ideation and Design

  • Generated and refined ideas through iterative processes

  • Produced 10+ medium-fidelity concept designs across all categories

  • Created visualizations using Procreate on iPad

Result

Unspoken Communication
(vehicle to vehicle)

This feature allows someone to see when their favorite contacts are also driving, which activates the ability to “blink” them. When blinked, the receiving user receives an influx of lighting in their vehicle and an alert letting them know who was thinking about them.  This was meant to reduce the frustrations of a traffic jam. This fosters an unspoken connection and enables users to communicate in a more personal, emotional way.

This feature allows someone to see when their favorite contacts are also driving, which activates the ability to “blink” them. When blinked, the receiving user receives an influx of lighting in their vehicle and an alert letting them know who was thinking about them. This fosters an unspoken connection and enables users to communicate in a more personal, emotional way.

In-car Tour Guide

This car feature would allow people driving into a new place to learn about the area in a fun and immersive way, the car’s AI can scan the horizon and nearby landmarks, highlighting them and offering information and directions to them autonomously.


This car feature would allow people driving into a new place to learn about the area in a fun and immersive way, the car’s AI can scan the horizon and nearby landmarks, highlighting them and offering information and directions to them autonomously.

This car feature would allow people driving into a new place to learn about the area in a fun and immersive way, the car’s AI can scan the horizon and nearby landmarks, highlighting them and offering information and directions to them autonomously.

Live Lighting Pallet

Live Lighting Pallet

This feature allows riders to change the interior lighting of the car based on the outdoor lighting. In this example, the sunset’s colors are brought into the vehicle. There are also customizable presets, and other options to create ambiance within the vehicle.


This feature allows riders to change the interior lighting of the car based on the outdoor lighting. In this example, the sunset’s colors are brought into the vehicle. There are also customizable presets, and other options to create ambiance within the vehicle.

This feature allows riders to change the interior lighting of the car based on the outdoor lighting. In this example, the sunset’s colors are brought into the vehicle. There are also customizable presets, and other options to create ambiance within the vehicle.

Learning Outcome

The project resulted in multiple innovative concept designs for future driving experiences, focusing on learning, personalization, and immersion. The collaborative, cross-cultural approach allowed for a wide range of creative ideas. The experience provided valuable insights into research, prototyping, and testing methods in a futuristic context while fostering creativity and international collaboration skills.

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Ethan Bartucca

UX/Product Designer

Ethan Bartucca is a passionate UX/Product Designer with a solid understanding of UX principles and a knack for creative problem-solving. He has practical experience through multiple internships and sponsored projects, developing skills in user research, ideation, UX design, prototyping, and more. Proficient in various design tools, Ethan is eager to join a design team to deliver high-quality user experiences.

Design System
Ready Training Online
Citizens
Cinema Experience
Kroger
ReImagined Driving

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let’s collaborate

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let’s collaborate

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