Lynk 09 Infotainment System
In-vehicle Infotainment(IVI) provides a unique interaction platform between cars, drivers, and passengers. Lynk&Co (a Chinese-Swedish automobile brand) is trying to build and optimize a 3D context for middle-class users where they enjoy the efficiency and convenience of new energy vehicles.
It was a joyful collaboration with the design team completing a project that refresh Lynk&Co's branding. We focus on exploring and optimizing two functions, Discharge and Ambient Light, in the camping mode for Lynk 09, a mid-size SUV.
1.5 months, 2022
Lead designer (w/7 other team members)
infotertainment system, automobiles, branding
Smooth and Seamless Control
An easy and efficient way to adjust ambient light inside the vehicle brings a sense of comfort and safety.
Visibility and actions to meet dynamic needs
From battery percentage and mileage, to discharge time and limit, users can easily see and take actions to meet contextualized needs at any time.
The initial challenge of this project is to find a 3D context and optimize its contextual functions under the current information architecture.
I had no previous knowledge about automobile branding at that time, so I started the project with a variety of questions.
Explore the initial challenge
Identify a 3D context and optimize contextual functions to help users improve efficiency and simplicity of use.
What is not ideal for now?
Who are our users?
What is a good contextual function?
What are users' needs?
To understand the questions above, we started our research to better understand the problem space as well as our users.
We read through 11 research reports, interviewed 10 people, and finished many discussions and self-studies on the branding and infotainment domains.
Who are our users and their needs?
Vivian, 30 yrs, Tesla Model Y Owner
has autocamping experience with familiies and friends.
when going camping, she first will search for sites where there are chargers.
Steven, 34 yrs, Hybrid Vehicle Owner
no previous camping experience.
looking forward to enjoying a relaxing camping experience with his own hybrid vehicle.
What is not ideal for now?
* Previous Ambient Light Interface( Chinese Version)
* Previous Discharge Interface( Chinese Version)
In the interview, we invited multiple stakeholders to critique on the current interfaces.
Then we summarized problems into 2 pain points.
Ambient light
lack of customization and user freedom
Energy discharge
unclear energy discharge display and settings
What is a good contexual function?
Usability Heuristics
Jakob Nielsen
Visibility of System Status
"Predictable interactions create trust in the product as well as the brand."
Users should be able to understand clearly the current system status as well as the outcomes of prior interactions.
User Control and freedom
"When it's easy to back out of a process or undo an action, it fosters a sense of freedom and confidence."
The buttons on the interface should support users' actions like Undo, Redo or Cancel with clear labels and discoverability.
Flexibility and efficiency of use
"Flexible processes can be carried out in different ways so that people can pick whichever method works for them."
Personalization mode should be provided so individual users can tailor content and functionality.
With a highly iterative process, I created user flows and mocks from low fidelity to high fidelity.
Also, we did a test with a prototype and receive feedback from users and stakeholders. Then I tried to solve the pain points to provide a smooth experience for our carcampers.
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Lack of customization and user freedom
for the Ambient Light?
How might we help car campers customize the settings of the Ambient Light with sufficient freedom?
We proposed 3 different design options to have users customize Lynk 09's Ambient Light freely.
Option 1:
Ambient light customization
Drag gradient color slider
Light motion
Drag monolingual color slider
Camping Theme with bonfire animation
One toggle switch and individualized switching
Option 2:
Camping theme background
Picture customization
Circle swiping to select
Camping Theme with advertising space
Ambient light customization
One toggle on/off
Set up the positions of ambient light in the vehicle
Option 3:
Different ambient light mode
with edit button
Customize individual driving
modes such as background
picture, color, and light breathing pattern
Camping mode along with other driving modes including weather, massage, and custom
Secondary page to edit
ambient light color:
pure and gradient colors and self-define choices
Synchronization of in-vehicle ambient light with toggle switch button
We chose option 3 because:
1. Visually more organized and improve efficiency of customization use
2. Clear navigation to find the exact content
3. More user-friendly for car campers in their flow
unclear discharge function display and settings?
How might we improve the visual display of the discharge function so that users can use it confidently and clearly?
With a lot of iterations, we tried to keep users in the loop of getting informed of discharging status as well as provide them with sufficient control and freedom .
Green Arrow to emphasize the discharge objects
A stack column chart to
show current energy and discharge percentage
Energy slider to adjust the discharge limits
Segmented "start" and" pause" control
Charging animation
Move the discharge objects below the vehicle image
Organize the vehicle information on the left column: mileage, energy, and discharge limit
Prioritize the "Start Discharging" button
in a round shape
Based on our insights from usability testing, we try to visualize the discharge limits and current battery percentage in a crystal clear way
by prioritizing and deprioritizing the suitable content and data to accommodate users' preference.
"err, I still cannot figure out clearly that
if I am setting the discharge limit of the current energy
or the whole battery."
This is the final design page of the discharging function
Above the battery: current battery and mileage
Back: Lynk 09 vehicle image
Front: a battery model with a discharging slider
Right: " Start Discharging" button
Left: discharge objects
Within 9 weeks, we completed the final design for the Lynk 09 infotainment system. See all interfaces below.
The feedback from the Lynk 09 design team and tests were really positive, indicating that users feel the final designs of two functions, Ambient Light and Discharge, could better help them with camping context.
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Ambient Light
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Energy Discharge
