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Introduction
We will explore the challenges and best practices of designing user interfaces for automotive environments. Our discussion will focus on the importance of minimizing distractions, facilitating readability, limiting physical interactions, and adapting to the needs of different drivers. Join us as we dive into the complexities of interaction design for the automotive industry and discover how it can improve the driving experience for everyone.
Minimize distractions
Pay attention to text information
Avoid overloading the interface with excessive information, as this can distract drivers and make the interface difficult to understand. If a part of your user interface design is not practical for the user, it should not be included.
Drivers need to be able to quickly understand tasks or system states at a glance on the screen. Ensure that the system reacts quickly after user action. Significant and easily noticeable changes in the interface help drivers understand that their input has been recorded and that the system is working properly.
Messages should be clear and easy to understand, helping drivers quickly resolve problems or provide simple information for understanding. Notifications provide concise and timely information about relevant events, such as phone calls or messages, and include steps for the user to take. Users can respond to notifications when they arrive or access them later in the notification center.
Avoid visual distractions
Movement and visual effects can distract drivers, so it's best to use them sparingly. Movement should only be used in the context of driving to express concepts, brand image, and relationships between elements. Its aim should be to inform drivers without diverting their attention. Videos, animations, and automatic text scrolling can encourage drivers to take their eyes off the road for extended periods of time. When targets on the screen are too small or too close together, drivers can easily get distracted or make mistakes when trying to hit them. Smaller click areas increase the risk of missing the intended target. Additionally, drivers may need to spend more time glancing or looking for click zones, leading to increased visual and cognitive distraction. It is important to ensure that the click areas do not overlap with each other.
However, that doesn't mean the interface should be unappealing. When designing for embedded displays, it is necessary to forego subtle color tones, delicate contrasts, icons with fine lines, lightweight fonts, and small text.
Improving readability and visibility
Prioritize consistency and accessibility
To ensure ease and efficiency of use, interface elements must be consistent with each other. This consistency should extend not only internally, but also to industry standards used elsewhere. This also applies to models and terminology. When in doubt, choose the option that is most easily understood.
Affordance refers to the characteristics of an object that indicate its interactivity and the type of interaction involved. Avoid using invisible buttons and make sure that the affordance is clear and highly visible. Primary and secondary actions should be easily identifiable.
Designing accessible elements
Select a legible font to help users read information quickly and easily. Typography, or text formatting, is used to convey text hierarchy and functionality within a user interface. Typography used in driving environments should emphasize legibility.
Use contrasting colors for text, buttons, and icons to improve the readability of information. In general, choose a limited color palette that complements your application logo. Subtle use of color is an effective way to communicate your brand. A black background generally works best in driving environments.
Icons play a crucial role in conveying information to drivers. It is important that these icons are not only clear and easily recognizable, but also visually appealing. By using intuitive and well-designed icons, drivers can quickly understand the information displayed on their screens or dashboards. This improves their understanding and overall driving experience. It is therefore essential to carefully select and implement icons that effectively communicate the desired messages to drivers in a visually appealing manner.
Limit physical interactions
Promoting simplicity
Interactions should be simple and straightforward, allowing drivers to quickly understand how to use the interface. Aim for as few clicks and screens as possible at all times. The user experience should be smooth and intuitive, allowing drivers to use the interface effortlessly and without distractions. Likewise, always aim to reduce the number of steps required to complete a task.
Optimize the use of available space on the interface to avoid visual interference and distractions. A “responsive” design will adapt proportionally to the size of the screen. Components should have flexible areas that can expand or shrink to fit the size of each car's screen.
In a car, the seat and screen are attached at specific angles. It is therefore essential to take into account the accessibility and readability of the screen. For a driver sitting on the left, items on the right side of the screen will be less legible and accessible (the opposite applies to cars with the steering wheel on the right side).
Encouraging safe driving
No operation should require the driver to take both hands off the wheel. Gestures, such as greeting to interact with the system, should only require one hand and should not negatively affect vehicle operation. Speech-based communication systems should allow people to talk and listen without using their hands, but voice commands are not necessarily the answer for all interactions.
The most important tasks for a driver are those related to driving, and everything else should be secondary. Interaction sequences must be able to be interrupted and resumed at logical points. The driver should have control of the pace. Additionally, the interface should prioritize audio information that is critical for driving. If audio is activated, driving-related sounds such as navigation directions and alerts should take precedence over non-driving sounds. Users should always be able to adjust the volume entirely, including muting it.
Adapting to different drivers
Customizing the interface according to drivers' needs
Drivers should have the ability to fully customize the interface according to their specific needs, disabilities, and personal preferences. It is important to take into account that some users may have vision problems or motor difficulties. By doing so, we can ensure that the interface is accessible and tailored to their individual needs, improving their overall user experience.
Drivers need to be able to customize the interface according to their needs, disabilities, and preferences. Some users may have vision problems or motor difficulties, so it is important to take into account their specific configurations to improve the accessibility of the interface. This includes the ability to adjust font sizes, color contrast, and interface layouts. By allowing drivers to personalize the interface, it becomes more inclusive and adapted to a diversity of users.
Support in various situations and configurations
The interface should be designed to easily adapt to different driving modes, such as city driving, highway driving, night driving, day driving, and many more. This adaptability is crucial to provide an exceptional user experience, regardless of driving conditions. An important aspect of this adaptability is the ability of the interface to intelligently adjust the light intensity according to the surrounding environment. By automatically adjusting the light intensity, the interface not only improves visibility but also reduces eye fatigue, contributing to a safer and more comfortable driving experience.
When designing an interface, it is crucial to take into account cultural differences and the preferences of the target country. This includes taking into account factors such as reading direction, which can vary between left to right or right to left depending on the country. Adapting the interface to the reading direction is essential to ensure a smooth user experience. In addition, it is important to respect established principles of ergonomics and accessibility. By doing so, the interface can be optimized to provide a user-friendly and inclusive experience for all users.
Iterative tests
To ensure that the interface always meets the needs and preferences of drivers, regular testing is essential. Currently, there is a lack of standardization in the user experience (UX) of vehicles. With different approaches and solutions to meet similar needs, it is difficult to establish universally accepted rules. Therefore, thorough testing of all embedded systems is essential to ensure efficiency and usability.
Regular testing of the interface is necessary to ensure that it remains adaptable to the evolving needs and preferences of drivers. The field of UX design for vehicles lacks standardization, with many different approaches and solutions used to meet similar requirements. This diversity makes it difficult to establish a set of shared rules. Therefore, comprehensive testing of embedded systems is crucial to ensure their functionality and usability. By conducting thorough testing, problems or areas for improvement can be identified and resolved, resulting in a more user-friendly and effective interface.
