User Experience in Transportation Design — UX Talk #21
The 21st Edition of the UXTALK format explored the new dimensions of user experience for transportation design and the hybridisation of this profile. Accordingly, this session was realised in collaboration with TAD — Master in Transportation and Automobile Design by POLI.design.
We investigated the current state of the art of smart mobility, its value for car manufacturers and the point of view of big companies involved in mobility.
For this special event, we had the honour to host three exceptional guests:
- Flora Gaetani — Communication manager at TAD
- Inon Rozen — Design project leader at AKKA
- Antonio Grillo — Service designer and UX director at Tangity
Watch the full video of the event
Below are three short extracts from their keynotes.
Flora Gaetani: 5G and smart environments
How could we dispose of safer and faster streets thanks to the adaptation of 5G in autonomous cars?
Flora Gaetani presented us the concept of 5G and smart environments, talking about how the use of 5G connection could influence the future mobility of our cities and the spreading of autonomous driving.
Flora developed these scenarios when working at the research project BASE 5G with Inon Rozen, Design project leader at AKKA.
The research project BASE 5G defined 3 challenges for the designers involved in the Automotive field:
- designing services based on an intelligent environment;
- exploring the vertical integration of 5G technology and a mix of platforms to support advanced services;
- delivering simple user interfaces to manage complex and innovative systems.
Inon Rozen: the effects of autonomous driving on the interior design of cars
We are living a transitional period in which the car is transformed from a product to a service. We need revolutionary intuitive interfaces for cars.
Currently the best autonomous car on the market are level 2 of autonomy, where the driver is still in control of the vehicle, thus the responsibility is still on the user. We are moving forward a level 4 of autonomous cars in which the user is not supposed to drive the car.
As the design changes, we become passengers and no longer drivers. The space that was previously used for gears could now be used by other accessories. Up to level 5, where it will no longer be possible to drive, so that the space will be completely transformed into an extension of the house or office.
Inon walked us through the Evolution of the living space in cars. Starting by BMW that emphasises how much crucial is the interior design of a 5th tier autonomous car rather than the exterior, highlighting the central position of the comfort, to let the passenger be completely relaxed. Unlike today’s cars, where the design is focused on the attention of the drivers on the road, the user experience focus of autonomous car interior design will take inspiration from living rooms and promote social interaction with other passengers.
Antonio Grillo : the rise of User Experience in Automotive
What are the reasons for the rise of user experience practice in the Automotive sector?
Antonio Grillo showed us a current project he is working on at Tangity. The aim of the case study is to reimagine the relationship between two wheelers and riders.
The merging of physical and digital is pushing the boundaries of the Automotive sector. The means of transport are becoming nodes of the network, they are all connected to each other, changing the experience of the road in the city and of the car.
This is still an open question that lead us to the design challenges linked to the future of two wheeled vehicles. How might we provide environmental awareness and enhance safety? How might we make the riding experience assistive and increase engagement for drivers? The social experience will revolve around the connectivity with the city where the driver is no longer the driver, rather a passenger.
Watch Antonio Grillo’s keynote
These lectures were held during the 21st UX Talk organised for the students of the Master in User Experience Psychology by Politecnico di Milano & Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and of the Higher Education Course in User Experience Design by POLI.design. Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook to be updated about the upcoming UX Talks, always open to the public.
Curated by Alice Paracolli
