Automotive design with GM

Designed dog mode features for drivers to leave pets in cars. Client project with General Motor.
# Problem-solving  # Storytelling  # Visual+UI

🎯 Reason

Leaving dogs in cars is risky, as dogs may get a sunstroke and a pedestrian may call the police. A dog mode can save drivers from these troubles.

🛠️ Action

- Designed climate, notification and monitoring features to increase the safety of leaving dogs in cars.
- Crafted playful and personalized interaction to build emotion bond between car, people, and dogs.
- Iterated on visual themes and contrast to increase readability and decision speed to minimize distraction.

📉 Impact

1. Had a successful presentation and 120% grade
2. Received positive feedback from GM judges
3. Got LinkedIn shoutout from GM and received 23,860 exposure

Team members

Ziyi Jiang: UX designer

My Role

UX designer

Length

Feburary - April, 2024 (2 months)

Highlighted skills

- Problem solving
- Storytelling
- Visual+UI

*For best viewing exprience on mobile, please switch your phone to landscape mode

1 minute product summary!

Drivers sometimes need to leave pets in cars.

However, pets are resistance to staying in cars, and pedestrians might call the police.
With the new dog mode design:
‍
✅  The climate will be maintain when drivers leave
✅  Pedestrians know that dogs are safe inside
✅  Drivers can check dogs' status anytime
✅  Drivers can comfort dogs by their image or voice
How I did it?
Background
Challenge
Process
Impact

Background: Design a dog mode feature

GM's design challenge for future Chevrolet Trax EVs.
Target sector
Mass market users
User scene
Dogs in cars & More
Screen size
Defined for 2 screens

Challenge 1: Leaving pets in cars is risky

Drivers sometimes need to leave dogs in cars. However, pedestrians make
300+
police calls annually, as they don't know if the dogs are safe.
Pedestrains
Concerned about pets
Might call the police
Dogs
Resistant to stay in cars
Nervous / bark / pee
Pet-owners
Worry about dogs
Distracted on tasks

Solution: 4 features for a safe leave

With the new dog mode, pets, pedestrains, and drivers can rest assure.  
Pedestrain notice
Know dogs are safe
Climate control
Stay comfortable
Dog monitor
Check status anytime
Video chat
Comfort with sound & image

Challenge 2: More than climate?

Current competitors only treat dog mode as a climate control feature.
Tesla
Rivian
Kia Niro

Solution: Cars connect memories of people and pets

Apart from a climate feature, we hope to establish emotional bonds between people, cars, and dogs.
Dog profile
Personalisation for every dog
Memory
Bond across time and space
Accessories
Fun proofs of memory

Challenge 3: How to minimize distraction?

Reducing distraction for safe driving is the unique challenge of automotive design.
Readability 01
After many iteration on visual styles, I managed to balance readability and aesthetics through contrast
Readability 02
Designed dark and light theme to adapt to different lighting environment
Quick decision 01
From wireframe to Hi-fi, flat information architecture speeds up user selection
Quick decision 02
Consistant UI to enhance understanding across platforms

Prototype & process

From low to high fidelity

Project impact

Presentation
By using sound effects, toys, illustrations, etc., we told a story between a Samoyed and her owner.
It was a huge success. We received universal applause and laughters, and 120% score.
GM judge's feedback
"It's a good problem, and you solved it well with your own research."
Courtney
UX Researcher
"Nice job! I like that you considered what more can be done."
Ian
Lead Product Designer
"Your clean design and clear info architecture are industry-level."
Samantha
Product Designer
LinkedIn shout out
After posting on LinkedIn, the project received GM's shout out and gain 23,860 impressions.
Medium article
We also published a medium article for the design process.
GM dog mode
BackgroundChallenge 1Challenge 2Challenge 3ProcessImpact
Want to see the 2022 version design?
🔝