Creating Safety Features for Electric Vehicles

Rivian, Visual Interface Design

Role:

UX/UI Design, Design Systems, User Testing

Tools:

Figma, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop, FigJam

Project Duration:

4 Weeks

Summary:

I recreated 4 Rivian dashboard interfaces that increase safety and accessibility in electric vehicles. I led the design and strategy to solve the problem of distracted driving. 95% of testers agreed that my visual updates improved driving visibility and safety measures.

Overview

How might we eliminate distractions while driving to prevent car accidents?

Distracted driving makes up 38% of automobile accidents. Therefore, it is crucial to create features that prioritize driver, passenger, and pedestrian safety. Many drivers fear electric vehicle technology and do not like relying on cars that operate outside of their control.

The Problem

As electric vehicles replace physical controls with touchscreens, drivers now face a new challenge: critical features buried under layers of menus. In Rivian’s UI, simple tasks like changing music, adjusting climate settings, or entering navigation required 3+ screen transitions. In usability tests, drivers took 2+ seconds to adjust temperature settings, 3x longer than industry safety guidelines recommend.

Solution

For 4 weeks, I redesigned Rivian's in-car UI with three key improvements: (1) Easy-tap controls with optimized touch targets, (2) Predictive UI that appears automatically during driving, and (3) Streamlined layouts through improved information architecture. The result: critical functions became accessible with minimal glance time, keeping focus on the road.

Secondary Research

I conducted online research and interviews with drivers to determine the main sources of distractions while driving.

Due to time constraints and the fast-paced nature of the project, I took a phased approach to deliver design artifacts quickly, which allow me to iterate faster. Phase 1 was focused on gathering research findings from user interviews, heuristic evaluations, and online public feedback.

Design Process and Timeline

I utilized the double diamond framework to better organize my schedule and deadlines.

Planning out goals and deadlines

The fast-paced nature of the project led me to create a thorough timeline of when I needed to complete large scale deliverables. Following the double diamond process helped me complete project artifacts before deadlines.

Usability Testing

Testing early prototypes with 18 testers

1:1 Insights

18 user testers helped us identify the primary features that were problematic in the prototypes. Participants were concerned about accidental button presses of cancel trip and roadside support due to how accessible it was. We made the decision to reiterate and create confirmation screens that alleviate our clients' concerns.

Original prototype

Adjusted prototype (confirmation screens and smaller buttons)

High-Fidelity Prototypes

I created driver-side UI screens that allow drivers to see potential collision objects.

Preventing collisions and wrecks

Have you ever felt that you were too close to a car or a street curb? This feature uses color and indicators to alert you of collisions. As objects come closer to your vehicle, the colored indicator changes color.

Vehicle start animation

Reflection

I learned that extensive testing is necessary to understand the user in full clarity.

Initially, I loved my ideas, to the point where I did not see its flaws. Usability testing allowed me to see the flaws in the project. I plan on designing user customization options for car enthusiasts. I want Rivian drivers to be able to customize their car depending on their lifestyle.