In the context of my bachelor thesis, I further developed classic connected car apps with the help of user surveys. In order to give the user the full experience, I combined functionality and aesthetics.
Mobility is in a state of change. The acceleration of our lives that began in recent decades is reaching us in all aspects. It is steadily increasing due to automation, modern media and, not least, digital development. Progressive digitization has now also found its way into vehicles.
Numerous digital services and applications enable users to connect with and benefit from their vehicle and their environment. These services increasingly support drivers and are designed to make driving more comfortable, safer and more efficient.
The connected car app allows to monitor and control your vehicle and keeps you up to date on the status at all times. The app focuses on the experience before and after driving.
To redefine the app's architecture, I asked potential users to define what are the most important features of such an app.
From a series of prototypes, I settled on an app architecture with tabs, each dedicated to a specific aspect of the network: vehicle control, vehicle information and navigation.
A tile-based UI allows to easily overview the dashboard.
Tailored to the needs of the users, the application should not only function as a practical tool. Rather, with the help of the countless functions, it should integrate seamlessly into the user's life beyond use. The regular use of the application is intended to improve the driving experience and comfort in the long term.
After all, the car is not just a means of transportation, but rather a symbol of freedom which shapes our senses and feelings – in other words, our identity.
In order to keep the usability for the customer as present as possible, it seemed crucial to work with hierarchies.
Building on my findings, I separated the three most important features by placing them on the very top. With a simple swipe, the user can choose to remotely lock or unlock the vehicle, activate the headlights or control the air conditioning.
In the navigation tab, users can access the journey planner either via shortcuts, the search bar or by speaking to the voice assistant.
On the map itself, the current location of the vehicle, nearby gas stations and even shopping opportunities are shown. Additional recommendations can be individually added under 'favorites'.
