LUCID AIR
LUCID AIR - Auto ux concept
A redesigned in-vehicle interface for the Lucid Air that enhances usability, personalization, and safety through intuitive layouts, streamlined controls, and a minimalist aesthetic, creating a seamless and distraction-free driving experience.
ROLE
UX Researcher
TIMELINE
tEAM
METHODS & SKILLS
Wireframing
TOOLS
Screens Studio
Overview / Summary
This project focuses on redesigning the in-vehicle screens of the Lucid Air, a luxury electric vehicle, to enhance usability, personalization, and safety. Leveraging insights from my first literature review and user-centric design principles, I created wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes that streamline key functions such as navigation, audio playback, and vehicle controls. By balancing sleek aesthetics with practical interactions, the redesign aligns with Lucid’s minimalist brand ethos and provides an intuitive, distraction-free driving experience. This exploration into automotive interface design was an invaluable opportunity to merge creativity, research, and functionality.
Why Redesign the Screens in a Lucid Air?
My interest in Lucid began before their vehicles hit the road, with me investing in the company long before they even used the name "Lucid". This personal project provided the perfect opportunity to combine my admiration for the brand with my passion for in-vehicle screen design.
What Did Research Say?
Before redesigning the Lucid Air screens, I conducted a literature review to understand the vehicle and its brand ethos.
Key sources included:
-Highlights their focus on sleek, minimalist aesthetics and cohesive design principles
- Explores Lucid's commitment to innovation and a forward-thinking customer base
- Provides insights into their focus on technical precision, sustainability, and craftsmanship
These resources emphasized Lucid’s dedication to a refined, minimalist approach, which aligns with their brand image and resonates with their customer base. Inspired by this design philosophy—one I personally admire—I sought to incorporate these principles into my redesign.
Early Redesign
Exterior Sketches
At the start of the redesign phase, I created sketches of the Lucid Air's exterior to explore how these visual elements could influence and integrate into the redesigned screens. I focused on two key perspectives: a side view and a bird’s-eye view of the vehicle. These sketches, crafted in Figma, provided a foundation for aligning the screen redesign with the car's sleek and minimalist aesthetic.
Side view
Birds eye view
Screens with content blocks
Using Figma, I constructed frames for each of the screens inside the Lucid Air, intentionally excluding the straightforward climate control screen in the back seat. This decision was based on intuition, as redesigning such a simple interface felt unnecessary for this project.
Once the frames were set, I placed labeled content blocks within them to outline potential layouts. These preliminary placements served as a visual guide for exploring design directions and conceptualizing the overall structure. This phase was instrumental in generating ideas and shaping the foundation for the redesign.
Wireframes
The final phase of the redesign focused on creating high-fidelity wireframes for the Lucid Air's screens. I began with the default resting pages for the four screens and added additional pages for the head unit and sub-units. The vehicle controls and driver display were designed as single-page interfaces, with elements like the speedometer dynamically updating in real time during a drive.
To streamline the process, I created the wireframes in black and white, prioritizing layout and user interaction over visual complexity. This minimalist approach, particularly fitting for a personal project, allows for future refinement, leaving space to incorporate color and additional enhancements at a later stage.
Default / Resting Screens
As part of the redesign, I crafted a default / resting page for each of the vehicle's four principal screens: the vehicle controls, driver display, head unit, and sub unit. These pages are tailored to reflect an active driving scenario, such as displaying a 45 mph reading on the driver display and active defrosters on the vehicle controls, creating a sense of being mid-journey.
Vehicle Controls and Driver Display:
These screens feature a single, dynamic page that updates in real-time, including changes to the speedometer, vehicle alerts on the head unit’s right side, and button statuses within the vehicle controls. This design ensures essential information is always immediately accessible to the driver.
Head Unit and Sub Unit:
The head unit and sub unit display their default pages at the start of a drive or after a period of inactivity.
- The head unit’s default page provides quick access to key functions like route searches and audio playback.
- The sub unit defaults to the HVAC screen, enabling seamless climate control adjustments.
This layout emphasizes accessibility and ease of use, ensuring that both drivers and passengers can intuitively manage vehicle features, enhancing the overall driving experience.
Head Unit Screens
To highlight the head unit's functionality, I created three essential pages: the main navigation landing page, the navigation display during an active route, and the audio page, featuring Spotify as an example of a popular streaming service.
Navigation Pages:
- Users can interact with audio playback (e.g., play/pause, skip) even while on the navigation pages
- Full audio controls, such as playlist selection and detailed browsing, are reserved for the dedicated audio page to minimize distractions
Audio Page:
- Offers comprehensive music control options, ensuring an intuitive and immersive listening experience
Passenger Volume Control:
- A volume control feature in the bottom-right corner allows the front passenger to adjust or mute the audio
- This feature complements the driver’s access to audio controls on the steering wheel, creating a balanced interface for both passengers and drivers
- This design prioritizes usability by integrating essential functions into key screens while maintaining simplicity and reducing distractions for the driver
Sub Unit Screens
For the sub unit, I focused on illustrating the vehicle settings pages, including wireframes for the landing page, tire pressure, and drive mode screens. To ensure seamless usability, I incorporated a dedicated HVAC control bar at the top of the sub unit, allowing for easy climate adjustments regardless of the current screen. Navigation controls were positioned at the bottom for consistency and intuitive interaction.
Vehicle Settings Landing Page:
- Different settings are arranged on the left side for quick selection
- To utilize empty space effectively, I added the Lucid Air logo in a prominent position, moving it from the head unit to reinforce brand cohesion
Drive Mode Page:
- Features three distinct drive modes with simple options for adjustments, ensuring quick and effortless customization
Tire Pressure Page:
- Displays psi information for each tire alongside the bird’s-eye view sketch I created earlier, offering users a clear visual representation of their vehicle's status
This design ensures essential information is readily accessible, while the streamlined layout and cohesive branding enhance the overall user experience.
Reflection
This project provided valuable learning experiences that expanded both my design and research skills:
Conducting a Literature Review:
As my first literature review, this process taught me how to systematically gather, analyze, and apply insights from diverse sources to inform design decisions. It enhanced my ability to connect theoretical principles with practical applications, ensuring the redesign aligned with Lucid's brand ethos and user expectations.
Designing for In-Vehicle Screens:
This was my first experience designing for in-vehicle interfaces, which introduced me to the unique challenges of balancing functionality, safety, and aesthetic appeal. I learned how to prioritize critical information, streamline interactions, and create distraction-free layouts to optimize usability in a dynamic driving environment.
Overall, this project deepened my understanding of automotive UX design and emphasized the importance of combining research-driven insights with creative problem-solving to enhance user experiences. These lessons will continue to shape my approach to future projects.