Product Design
Design Strategy
Product Designer
San Francisco, CA
2022.04 -Current
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In collaboration with Waymo, our team delved into the future of transportation and the integration of Waymo Driver interaction.
The advent of autonomous vehicles offers vast potential for transportation innovation. However, seamlessly incorporating exterior sensors and designing intuitive user interactions presents significant challenges. Existing sensor packages often compromise vehicle aesthetics and lack user-friendly interfaces, raising concerns about user acceptance and safety.
Waymo tasked us with devising sensor suite solutions for three transportation platforms: trucks, cars, and the emerging delivery bot. Additionally, we were to explore how users could interact with the Waymo Driver across these platforms.
Our primary objective was to design an exterior sensor package seamlessly blending with vehicle design, prioritizing user safety and experience:
We commenced with thorough market research and user interviews to grasp current pain points and expectations. Ideation, prototyping, and testing ensued, with iterations informed by user feedback and technical limitations. Our design process emphasized iterative prototyping and user testing to ensure alignment with user needs and technological feasibility.
We commenced with thorough market research and user interviews to grasp current pain points and expectations. Ideation, prototyping, and testing ensued, with iterations informed by user feedback and technical limitations. Our design process emphasized iterative prototyping and user testing to ensure alignment with user needs and technological feasibility.
In the ideation phase, we explored sensor placement and interaction mechanisms. Options included seamlessly integrating sensors into existing vehicle features like grilles and side mirrors to minimize visual impact. We also experimented with augmented reality interfaces and haptic feedback to convey sensor information.
Following iterations and user tests, we settled on discreetly embedding sensors within vehicle body panels and employing visual and haptic feedback for user interaction. Our decision-making prioritized safety, aesthetics, and ease of use.
The final solution entailed integrating LiDAR, radar, and cameras into vehicle exterior panels, concealed behind sleek, aerodynamic covers. We also developed a modular sensor package for diverse autonomous scenarios. For user interaction, we designed a heads-up display projected onto the car exterior, offering real-time feedback on surroundings and autonomous mode status. Additionally, haptic and visual feedback on windows and internal screens guided users through tasks or services.
Implementation of our design yielded positive outcomes, with users reporting increased comfort and trust in interacting with autonomous vehicles. The modular sensor integration was praised for preserving vehicle aesthetics without sacrificing functionality. Challenges encountered included precision in sensor placement and user preference for more tactile controls over interfaces, indicating the need for further customization options.
In summary, this project emphasized the importance of balancing technological innovation with user-centered design principles. Iterative prototyping and user feedback were instrumental in achieving a successful design solution for autonomous vehicle exterior sensor packages and interaction design.
