With the development of smart technologies, electrification, and autonomous driving, cars are evolving from simple transportation tools into mobile living spaces. The design focus has shifted toward enhancing in-car user experiences (Floridi, 2019). This thesis, in collaboration with Xiaomi EV, explores the potential of integrating IoT connectivity into smart cabin interiors to improve user experience in non-driving related activities (NDRAs) (Kim et al., 2015).
The project's ultimate goal is to create a "Refreshing" user experience within an L3 smart cabin. The forward-thinking concept developed in this project, Flowing Oasis, reimagines the in-car environment and interactions for Xiaomi's future electric vehicles.
The research follows the Double Diamond design framework, covering discovery, definition, development, and delivery phases. During the discovery phase, an in-depth analysis of user needs—particularly opportunities within the current research gap in in-car product customization and connectivity—was conducted, alongside a comprehensive brand analysis. The project then defined a clear mission: to create a modular, IoT-integrated cabin that supports a seamless user experience through product connectivity, addressing users' psychological and emotional needs by fostering a sense of belonging in a mobile context.
Key deliverables included CAD models, 3D visualizations, and VR prototypes, all used to validate the design's feasibility and user-centric value. The results indicate that integrating IoT-enabled features and introducing the Oasis platform—a co-creative business model where users define their in-car products—significantly enhances user satisfaction and aligns with Xiaomi’s goal of product premiumization.
Flowing Oasis not only provides users with a sense of belonging but also fosters continuous innovation through the IoT ecosystem, paving the way for future advancements in automotive design.

The urban mobility transition is in full swing. Growing urban populations, increasing traffic congestion and the need for more sustainable transport solutions are forcing cities to think about the future of mobility. This transition is also strongly present within Louwman Group, where the focus has traditionally been on cars, but where mobility is being interpreted more and more broadly. In order to explore what mobility will be relevant in the future, it is crucial to gain more insight into mapping mobility needs and wants in urban areas. This report explores, in the context of three Rotterdam neighbourhoods, how differences and commonalities can form the base for a mobility solution that offers people a more personalised mobility experience in a feasible way.

The research revealed that in each neighbourhood, vulnerable groups are excluded from the mobility system in different ways. Through a product-service combination, the issues experienced by these vulnerable groups are explicitly addressed, while at the same time relevance for a wider audience is targeted. This way, the concept reflects the balance between personalisation and generalisation.

This resulted in a product/service combination centred on a modular and stable bicycle as an addition to the shared mobility offer in Rotterdam. A stable bicycle (with three or four wheels) caters to older people, people with physical limitations or people who have not (yet) mastered the skills of cycling. These people are often restricted in their freedom and the current system does not adequately meet their needs and wants. The bike offers the opportunity for two people to cycle together, addressing social aspects, accessibility and providing a low-threshold way for people to try cycling. Through a matching process and credit system, people are encouraged to help and support each other in experiencing mobility freedom, safety and integration. In addition, the bike can be used for free or at a reduced rate by eligible people if it is not reserved. Instead of a second seat, modular add-ons can transform the bike for a variety of purposes, such as cargo, child seats and a roof. This makes it relevant and interesting for a wide audience to use.

Problem
The automotive industry is undergoing a significant transformation due to technological advancements, especially in self-driving vehicles. This shift presents a unique challenge: designing an interior for autonomous vehicles. The goal of this project is to contribute to the change in the automotive industry by redefining the traditional driver-centric experience into a pleasant journey for passengers. Enhancing the user journey experience during long-term journeys while staying true to the Land Rover brand identity is a key focus.

Goal
The primary objective of this project is to create a human-centred interior concept for fully autonomous vehicles. This concept aims to promote user comfort and well-being during extended journeys. Several sub-goals support this aim. These include forming a vision of future mobility and defining a unique Land Rover user experience. Understanding user expectations for long-term rides and conducting a market analysis to guide the design direction are also important. Ultimately, the goal is to develop a validated concept through user testing.

Analysis
The context analysis utilized a DESTEP framework to explore demographic, economic, social, technological, environmental and political factors shaping the mobility sector. There is an increasing demand for efficient and electric vehicles. This background informs the project its future vision, which predicts a convergence between public vehicles and privately owned cars. The brand analysis of Jaguar Land Rover shows its evolution from utility-focused vehicles to modern luxury offerings. The company emphasises sustainability and user experience. Both, the future vision and brand focus, present new opportunities for design innovation.

Design process
The design direction is based on insights gathered from a context analysis, the Land Rover brand DNA, non-driving-related-taks (NDRT) literature and a concept car market analysis. The focus is on the aesthetic and functional aspects of the autonomous vehicle. This process involved analysing existing (concept) vehicle exteriors and defining key interior functionalities. Concerning the interior, special attention was given to creating an inviting ambiance, particularly in terms of lighting design. This lighting design aims to enhance the overall user experience by supporting the concerning NDRT. The prototyping phase detailed the evolution of both interior and exterior design. Functional elements such as seating, work surfaces, and tailored lighting systems were integrated to meet user needs during long journeys.

Evaluation
User testing was conducted to validate the interior lighting concept and assess its impact on user experience and task performance. Results showed that adequate lighting significantly improved the visibility, comfort and mood while working. The overall pleasantness of the environment also increased. Users preferred well-lit settings and provided specific preferences for lighting configurations that reduce shadows and enhance visibility. Conclusions from the user tests indicated that optimising lighting placement and adjusting light intensity would further enhance the
interior design.

Final design
The design suggests implementing ambient lighting that is placed above and beyond the user. The focus lighting should also be positioned above the passenger but more centred over the seating area. The brilliance layer is mainly integrated into the doors and floor of the vehicle. Additionally, all light layers should have adjustable light characteristics such as intensity and colour.
Finally, various lighting scenarios are shown to demonstrate the importance of flexibility for multifunctionality.

Voice Assistants (VAs) have gained traction in cars, promising safer, more convenient driving experiences (Braun et al, 2021). These Intelligent Voice Assistants (IVAs) offer hands-free control over navigation, entertainment, and climate, reducing distractions and enhancing safety. IVAs also provide context-aware interactions, improving personalization.

Voice control combines button convenience with touchscreen versatility, offering direct access without menu navigation. Automakers leverage IVAs to enhance brand perception, loyalty, and revenue streams, as positive experiences drive brand attachment.

However, despite early adoption, user satisfaction lags (CRI, 2019). Notably, Lynk & Co’s IVA elicits numerous complaints due to its underwhelming real-world performance within the complex car environment, causing frustration and distraction.

This jeopardizes brand image, as negative IVA experiences taint overall brand perception. Users might underutilize or abandon the technology, squandering potential. Overestimation of capabilities is common (CRI, 2019), often blaming technology while neglecting usability and context.


The crux lies in the socio-technological challenge of user engagement, surpassing technical issues. To address this, the thesis seeks strategies to bridge user-technology gaps, optimizing IVAs. Tackling usability necessitates understanding user-technology misalignment, considering interaction patterns, learning curves, and context. By doing so, IVAs can genuinely enhance driving experiences, ensuring safer, more convenient, and satisfying journeys.

The thesis employs the ‘double diamond’ design model and ‘user-centered design’ method, incorporating literature and field research. User analysis identifies trust and control as key needs, while brand identity is synthesized.

Four essential design questions frame requirements:

Functions: What should it offer?
Interaction: How should it occur?
Visuals: What appearance should it have?
Behavior: How should it act?
Combining these requirements with user needs and brand identity defines the design space, creating a tailored concept for the European market.


Beyond visuals, the core concept involves proactive behavior, humanizing the IVA for perceived competence and trust, encouraging technology adoption. It empowers users by proactively showcasing functions and human characteristics.

The IVA’s position ranges from driver-facing DIM to distant CSD, adapting based on vehicle activity, harmonizing with brand identity.

Balancing concerns like distraction and customization optimally addresses user needs, brand identity, and requirements.

This thesis is conducted in collaboration with Changan Europe a Chinese Car company that has based their design centre in Turin, Italy. The core of this thesis is to create an interior design process for L4AD. The aim is to translate the research into a physical prototype to fit the automotive industry.

The leisure state that is provided by L4AD will challenge the current design process. The design will not only be focussed on the interior, but also take in account the implementation of the autonomous system.

The autonomous system will require more involvement from the UX department earlier on in the process to integrate the HMI system.

Autonomous driving technologies are developing at a high speed. Providing a possibility to improve road safety. “However, this transition also brings in new risks, such as mode confusion, overreliance, reduced situational awareness, and misuse” (Grondelle, 2021). This development in L4AD will change the relationship between the driver and the interior design. Whereas the driver’s role will change from being a driver to becoming a supervisor.

Developing a new design process
The backbone of this design process will be the basic design cycle. Which will be analysed and adjusted. This results in a design process that is less linear as well as optimising the integration of UX design into the interior design process. Whilst going through the basic design cycle certain adjustments and suggestions are concluded in this report.

The approach for this interior design process is more user-centred through the implementation of Vision in Product Design, Rich experiences and the Matrix 3 & Matrix 4 method. Combined with analysing the company's current design departments and user-tests to validate the use of these methods within the automotive industry.

This thesis is conducted with the interior development department of Mercedes- Benz. Two activities form the core of this thesis: interior design for the 2030 EQS, and implementation of Fundamental Needs in the process. The final desgin is the Daedalus: design for the sweet spot between focussing on your tasks and on the surroundings.The first approach is to understand the context in 2040, to iterate back towards a 2030 intermediate design.

Seven ways are found to work with these 13 Fundamental Needs, the approach changing every time. The tool used for external research with Fundamental Needs is tested and led to a quantification of the time between today and the intended future, leading to a focus on Autonomy and Security. Simultaneously, a Vision in Product design research is conducted, revealing that in this future, people expect things to be explained to them. This led to interaction qualities of ‘Quiet’ and ‘Synergy’.This 2040 concept is designed for an intuitive interaction between person and algorithm in the vehicle with these four concepts.

This 2040 concept is validated in a user test with sensitizing in the Mercedes-Benz interior labs. The usertest showed interest in communicating with the car, and confirmed the importance of control and understanding in this 2040 future vision. Participants asked the AI many questions with varying intentions.

These results provided focus for the last iterative step towards a 2030 design: the Daedalus. It revolves around finding a sweet spot between focussing on your task and enjoying your surroundings. The Daedalus can share Mercedes Messages, letting the user choose between the Fundamental Needs of Security, Comfort and Stimulation, the choice itself providing Autonomy. Mercedes Messages are not limited to the vehicle: they can be taken into shared mobility or the train. This design captures a moment of synergy, control and understanding that was experienced by participants during the user test, to recreate a valuable Mercedes Moment.

As new technologies will allow for a new kind of driving there is room for implementing innovative interior architecture in future luxury cars. The main goal for this master thesis was to find out what a user truly needs in a Mercedes EQ interior for a level 4 autonomous driving vehicle in a context around the year 2035. Furthermore, the design brief specified a sustainability frame as a key part of the design scope.

Problem
One might think it is easy to imagine a vehicle that operates fully autonomously and in which a user is totally irresponsible for driving the vehicle. But before we arrive at this point, we will see cars transitioning from the way they are now through a stage in which a user is partly responsible for driving yet can partly disengage driving obligations in specific situations. Also, with the automotive industry being under increasing pressure to become sustainable and classic status obtaining features such as big engines mismatching this goal, Mercedes stated the desire to have the user gain status through being sustainable in a luxury vehicle.

Analysis
To deliver a fresh insight to the industry and client it was chosen to use the Vision in Design-method. This method was fitting for envisioning a well-argued future context and to map likely behaviour of the Mercedes driver but also other people involved in this future context. Different attitudes in luxury automobiling were found and it was decided that the attitude of obtaining status by ‘being a paragon of sustainable automobiling’ would be the segment in which we would aim to position Mercedes EQ to subsequently pull the Mercedes-Benz brand as a whole into this direction. Furthermore, to make the concept Mercedes-fitting, an extensive analysis of the brand was executed to integrate a clear and expected link to specific elements of Mercedes’ heritage in the design.

Vision
Following the newly formulated strategy, a design vision was created. This vision covers a mission statement that aims to have Mercedes EQ users be a ‘paragon of sustainable luxury automobiling’ and to provide a ‘car interior in which the user can optimally be, considering everyday and real situations’. Multiple moods to cover these everyday and real situations were summed up, and it was found that a cosy old train coupe lounge served as a fitting interaction analogy for the desired interactions. In this analogy and through extensive brainstorming and sketching, a table and/or desk surface was found to be a key element in the interior around which the rest of the architecture could follow.

Design
Extensive research and ergonomic reviews lead to a tangible design basis.

Evaluation
The design tells an honest story in which the need to rush for users is decreased. The integrated elements are, also with the help of industry experts, well-argued and in a research based future context. They can be further detailed following the classic design for sustainability principles. The ideas were valued so much by Mercedes that, during this thesis, their research and development team put effort in helping with developing the proposition.

Automated transportation technology has been rapidly evolving across all modes of transportation, with enormous potential to improve road safety and travel comfort. New challenges arose during the transition to full automation, such as increased instances of disagreements between the driver and the automation system over who should take control. Negotiation plays a crucial role in resolving such conflicts. The Mediator project, a research and innovation programme of the European Union’s Horizon 2020, is developing an intelligent system to meditate between human drivers and highly automated vehicles. This graduation project aims to design a human-machine interaction that can resolve conflicts with appropriate negotiations, thereby creating a pleasant user experience in highly automated vehicles. The challenge lies in striking the right balance between the driver's safety and autonomy in order to ensure that the Mediator system is accepted by a wide range of users. To tackle the challenge, conflicts between human drivers and highly automated vehicles were analyzed to identify the most severe conflict as a main focus. To resolve it, research referred to human-to-human negotiation styles to inspire possible ways of human-to-machine negotiation styles in a context of high automation. To determine the most appropriate negotiation styles, desirable human-to-machine interaction was investigated through interviews.It was found that most participants preferred to have a certain extent of autonomy only when safety is secured. It resulted in an approach of resolving conflicts with negotiation styles based on the reasons for the automation’s takeover requests. More specifically, persuasive negotiation should be employed with a competing style when the reason is about safety. When it comes to comfort, seductive negotiation should be employed with a collaborating style. These insights were translated to interaction qualities for negotiation in the design concept. A design goal was formulated after establishing a future worldview by using the Vision In Product Design (ViP) method. The goal was to create a pleasant experience through negotiation during control conflict. Furthermore, the driver's motivation to follow the automation’s recommendations was investigated through two design interaction cycles. It was found that increasing intrinsic and extrinsic incentives by audio interaction and rewards could effectively motivate drivers to follow recommendations. The final concept is a negotiation ritual consisting of voice messages and rewarding features. When there is a disagreement over who should take over, the negotiation ritual of either persuasive or seductive negotiation will be activated. In the persuasive negotiation ritual, the system will give takeover requests twice, emphasizing the urgency and consequences with a commanding tone and wording. In the seductive negotiation ritual, the system will only ask the driver once, emphasizing the benefit of control transfer with a friendly tone and wording. Furthermore, drivers will get rewards such as parking discounts when following recommendations.

Success doesn’t come by following the beaten track, by following in the footsteps of the great visionaries of the past. No, success comes to those who dare to think differently, who dare to challenge and to do the unexpected. Starting a new brand requires this mindset, because only those who dare to think differently succeed. Back in 2018, Automobili Pininfarina was founded as a new luxury car manufacturer bearing one of the most celebrated and revered names in the industry: Pininfarina. A design house known for their iconic masterpieces. Starting a new brand with such a famous and recognizable name is a beautiful opportunity, but also a risky operation. Paving the way for Automobili Pininfarina brand success, that was the goal of this thesis done in collaboration with the new Italian luxury car manufacturer. A new brand strategy and vision needed to be developed, hence the brief for this project was as follows: “Create a design driven brand strategy, delivering a brand vision for the year 2025.” This graduation project focused on analyzing the company’s existing brand strategy and compares that with external influences that create opportunities for the brand to grow. The synthesis of this is a brand vision for the year 2025. Based on this vision, a proposal for the visual identity of the new brand strategy is made, including a roll-out plan for implementation and further development. The steps provided are forming the roadmap that paves the way for Automobili Pininfarina brand success.

This Master Thesis is created in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz AG, Society and Mobility Pioneering department.
The project focuses on ‘sustainable luxury in 2040 city mobility’. With ‘Personal Luxury Sharing’, Mercedes-Benz will be able to be a role model in the future city center. Where cities change into ‘livable cities’, seeing a declining role for the car as king of the roads, Personal Luxury Sharing brings Mercedes-Benz in the city center as future role model.
Personal luxury Sharing is a service where personally owned Mercedes-Benz’s are part of the MaaS-system by sharing a personally owned vehicle. As cities will have more strict regulations on vehicles, such as bans for polluting cars or single-occupancy vehicles, using Personal Luxury Sharing enables the car owner to enter restricted city areas, by combining the best of both worlds; the advantage of a personally owned vehicle and a shared vehicle.
Personal Luxury sharing is as a personal mobility assistant. Connected to your agenda, it creates the best route to your preferences, taking into account your mood, willingness to share, openness and possible travel options. It introduces you to other Mercedes-Benz drivers to extend your network.

Explorative research and design are done to get an understanding of the three pillars ‘luxury’, ‘sustainability’ and ‘mobility’ in a future city environment. All in order to create a ‘2040 city worldview’ and vision for the future concept. As Mercedes-Benz is strongly represented in the ‘hardware’ luxury, with their vehicles, Personal Luxury Sharing focuses on luxury in freedom, feeling privileged with a trustful and demand less concept within the familiar Mercedes-Benz environment. the user perceives benefits on multiple levels. This enables the user to have a behavioral change to both experience luxury as well as being sustainable. Luxus mit gutem Gewissen. Inspiration was taken from hotel-like luxury, having it always with you, without being demanding.

The ideation led to a full concept, with an interior concept and exterior design for a suitable vehicle, together with the personal luxury sharing service, connected to your personal device agenda. To add a ‘status object’, an interactive token was added. After evaluation and validation, the concept was brought back to the Personal Luxury Service, connected to your mobile agenda and ring to interact with, having a useful status object that is always with you

Besides city access and the possibility of extending your network, The personal luxury service will provide the best of both worlds, owning and sharing.

A personal car is more than something to go from A to B with, as it is one of the most expensive products owned, after a house, for example, most people do have an emotional bond with their car. It is a sign of freedom, being able to bring you wherever you want, or doing with it whatever you want. With buying one, you are able to choose the one (Mercedes-Benz) that suits you most, with your preferred options, design, or layout. As a disadvantage, it can be a ‘burden’ when looking for a parking lot and takes a lot of space when it is not used, or only used by one person.

A shared car brings advantages as the freedom of parking it wherever you want for free, having multiple ones available, and access to more city areas. On the other hand, there are also some disadvantages. As people don’t see it as ‘theirs’ you never know how the previous owner leaves it for you. As you share it with a lot of others, you never know what happened before. This also means that personal items cannot be stored or left in the car. If you have special needs, or a baby in a fixed seat, this option becomes even less interesting.

Combining both, and thus having the luxury of a personal car with your personal belongings, that you can share with others brings the best of both. Having the access and privileges the same as a shared vehicle, joining one when your personal car is not available or to extend your network with other Mercedes-Benz owners. All this in your own hands, available when you want, not used when you don’t want to. Together this makes Personal Luxury Sharing the best option for city mobility, Luxus mit gutem Gewissen.

This Master thesis was developed for Mercedes-Benz AG. The following report elaborates the steps taken in developing a holistic interior vision for ‘Sustainable Luxury’ of Mercedes-Benz. In seek of representation for the future societal needs, and possible future challenges and opportunities in terms of holistic mobility conceptualisation, the research took place in the rural areas of Japan. Therefore, this project is aimed at ‘Self-reliant people accepting innovation raised on the traditional values’. These people are seeking the segregated life, focused on the abundant luxury of time, bonds of smaller communities, and personal fulfilment. Cherishing the community traditions, innovation is acceptable if it preserves the experiential domain of respect towards community members and the environment. To fulfil the demand for such a context, the mission was ‘to achieve a perception of an abundance of less within the experience and perception of the product while keeping the identity of the brand intact.’ As the reconciliation between sustainability and luxury indicates the change of expression of luxury in means of a form, the qualities of the premium experience are set to keeping the utmost feeling of safety and physical ease leading to comfort. Therefore, ‘encountering a moment for yourself, within a shared experience, in comfort.’ was set as the desired interaction. The ideation led to the development of three concept ideas, which were further validated and iterated leading to the conclusive vision ‘Ikigai: A reason for being’. Ikigai presents mobility solution as part of the holistic system of sustainability and manifests as a contribution to the context. The vision ‘Ikigai’ is a Level 4 shared mobility service by Mercedes-Benz, intended for the rural communities of Japan. The on-demand service, utilising the Mercedes-Benz municipal vehicle, grants community residents overcoming the dependence on the pre-scheduled, public transportation of the area. The private zones in the interior space are providing users with a possibility for individual focus and relaxation while in a shared environment. Ikigai’s minimalistic interior is enriched by the works of local craftsman. The material finishings of unique algae-based materials and bio-luminescent lights, produced in the village, are limited to the vehicle design specific to the area. Consequently, the car simultaneously represents exclusivity of the local craftsmen and uniqueness of the tradition, sharing them in rides beyond the borders of the village. The brand remains to provide unique personal experiences within innovative products. Meticulous attention to details and high build quality bring it to the class of its own in providing a sense of safety and physical ease leading to Mercedes-Benz comfort.

Technological advances have led to the development of autonomous driving. The SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) defined five automation levels in order to differentiate the responsibilities between the driver and an automated driving system, ranging from “No Automation” (L0), to “Conditional Automation” (L3) and “Full Automation” (L5). The transition to full automation, however, brings new risks, such as mode confusion, overreliance, reduced situational awareness and misuse. Therefore, led by SWOV and together with many other parties, a 4-year project MEDIATOR is launched. The goal is to create a self-learning mediating system which guarantees safe, real-time transition of control between human driver and automated system depending on who is better fit for drive (Mediator, 2019).When the automation system reaches its operational limit in a given traffic situation, the automation issues a so-called take-over request (TOR), asking the driver to take back control of the vehicle (Gasser & Westhoff, 2012; Hoeger et al., 2011). The Human Machine Interface (HMI) plays a critical role on passing signal from the automated vehicle to driver when TOR happens. Therefore, it is of vital importance in avoiding misunderstandings, misuse, over-reliance, reduced situational awareness and mode confusion. However, nowadays, there are various different HMI design for autonomous vehicles in the market. Develop an unified HMI design principle to regulate the autonomous vehicle industry is also one of the tasks of MEDIATOR project.The graduation project is focusing on the HMI research and design when takeover happens ( see Figure 1). The key research questions of the graduation project are “when is it needed to communicate what kind of information and how to communicate the information with the driver during takeover?” So exploring the scenarios of TOR and then define the similarities and differences are one of the tasks. Simultaneously, from a research of Bazilinskyy and colleagues (2018), the means to communicate take-over requests are divided into three main categories that may be used in different level of urgency for take-over transition: visua l(written messages or signals shown on cluster, head unit or other in-vehicle displays), auditory (sonorous signals or voice messages), and vibrotactile (vibration of the steering wheel or seat). So it will be one of the challenges to explore which modalities to communicate TOR are the most effective means. In addition, driver’s situational awareness (SA can be defined simply as “knowing what is going on around us”) predicts the takeover performance. Drivers are better able to respond to hazards when they’re aware of the driving context. Therefore, enhancing the SA is also another challenge for the design of the takeover journey.In conclusion, the objective of the project is to design the HMI of autonomous vehicles in order to enhance situation awareness for a better take over transition/journey.

In 1886, humanity started a great effort to move away from horseback and build a carriage over which they have full control. A century-and-a-half later, we have succeeded to the degree that we are looking for a way to relax in our automobiles. The MEDIATOR project tackles the transitional period between conventional automobiles and fully autonomous vehicles. The challenge that arose with this transition is that the vehicle has to be designed for both driving and not driving. This graduation project tackles the very bit that most people will get to know: how to interact with the machine to divide the power of control? And how do we keep re-establishing that balance? The act of changing control between the human driver and the automation as a driver is to perform a Control Transfer Ritual. With little collected information, this project started with an intensive 45 days of gathering information about interaction between man and machine. The knowledge in fields of feedback, automation levels, input possibilities, legislation, and acceptance by all parties involved combined formed the basis upon which the Control Transfer Rituals were designed. The Control Transfer Rituals differ based on urgency of the situation, the target and original level of automation , and, in case of MEDIATOR, who instigated the transfer. This led to the development of a total of eleven distinctly different Control Transfer Rituals, and the exploration of Minimal Risk Manoeuvres. To validate the effectiveness and usability of these designed rituals, a simulator was developed. This simulator uses the C,MM,N prototype vehicle as a base and consists of a dashboard, with integrated controls, a virtual environment built in Unity, and a dummy Decision Logic, the computing unit of the MEDIATOR project. The prototype allows people to experience how travel will be in the not so distant future. Furthermore, the MEDIATOR project will be able to use it as a base for oncoming development, to ensure that your future travels will be ever more comfortable and safe.

This master thesis report gathers the research and design activities executed in 100 working days, in order to investigate the future context of autonomous driving. More specifically, the communication between the human driver and automation during the automated driving modes (Long Out of the Loop and Standby modes) has been investigated to answer the knowledge gaps of mode confusion, transparency, and information load. The project was supervised by SWOV, the Dutch Institute for Road Safety Research.
The project approach refers to a double-diamond structure which includes firstly, context research as background knowledge about autonomous driving and HMI. Secondly, an extensive user research involved experts, drivers, and human factors as the core of the study. Thirdly, an Experience Journey Map was developed to set bases for the design definition and Functional requirements, and HMI qualities. The design goal for the project has been based on the research results, aiming to unobtrusively inform drivers about automation status, driving mode and their responsibilities during autonomous driving mode through the HMI, while the driver is performing non-driving related activities. The HMI concepts have been developed according to iterative conceptualization and evaluation phases to conduct experiments with participants evaluating lo-fi prototypes about singular interactions and design elements, collecting conclusions, and highlighting strengths for each concept. Those helped to put together a final concept that includes the best elements of previous phases.
The final design proposal is a holistic experience that incorporates together different HMI options such as ambient lighting, central display, variable windshield dimming, the windshield visual effects and haptic feedback in order to create a complete experience to test with a sample of participants.
The final user tests have been conducted digitally with participants who evaluated the interface of automated driving modes while participants were asked to focus on secondary tasks. The tests showed that the ambient lighting (together with adjustable windshield dimming) of the vehicle certainly helps to set the driver’s mindset and support secondary tasks. The messages on the windshield and 3D glow effects obtained good results in terms of transparency. Drivers, indeed, understood more information about road situations and automation behavior. This encouraging results open horizons to new applications about ambience and visual information. Globally, the new information presented to participants was perceived as pleasant, informative and unobtrusive. Participants accepted the new HMI options with confidence and enthusiasm, although, some aspects of the central display were not fully understood in terms of usability.

In conclusion, the design research conducted in the first part of the project brought a fresh view of the user’s perspective. The insights from the human-centered design approach are extremely useful to investigate the communication to establish between humans and automation. This master thesis also contributed to bring some initial but promising results in the new direction of HMI design for Mediator project.

The 21st century is increasingly concerned with environmental and sociological problems caused by ineffcient use of resources. As more people migrates towards cities, a rapid increase in motorization rates and the number of private vehicles will further aggravate the already apparent urban challenges. Factors such as increased congestion, pollution and noise will result in a deteriorating life quality in cities for its inhabitants. Due to the fact that younger generations have an more progressive stance towards sharing services, proven by the success of companies such as Uber and AirBnB, sharing economies hold great disruptive potential in terms of urban transport. Cities are taking action against private ownership. European cities make room for pedestrians by blocking privately owned vehicles and by giving priority to shared mobility systems. These changes in urban city planning directly affect Audi. Audi does not yet offer a mobility solution that can offer door-to-door transit in this future city context. Therefor, it is relevant to consider mobility solutions that will offer a full brand experience covering all areas of the city. As cities grow bigger and stronger, more issues will be addressed directly at the city level. Planned growth in Europe has provided the time and resources for smart city planning. The systematic analysis of monitored data will lead to a more efficient world. The efficiency will translate into how Audi Millennials will use products and their services. They as consumers will demand a constant and seamless integration concerning mobility. Cities are blocking the use of privately owned vehicles in their centres. Even though cities are becoming more efficient and sprawled with a wide variety of efficient travel modes, Audi Millennials are forced to transfer from one transportation mode (and provider) to another in order to get to their destinations. This disconvenience leaves the door open to more premium travel experiences. Being able to provide a single travel mode and provider that will grant them access to all the city’s destinations will grant a premium experience through accessibility. The design makes use of two transport modes. One for travel on the city’s main roads and one for access to the city’s car-blocked areas. The first transport mode is a mobile HUB, which provides comfortable travel on the city’s main roads. The so called last-mile EV’s grant the user access to car-blocked areas of the city.

This thesis is the documentation of a design proposal for a 2035 envisioned concept for Volkswagen Escapism mobility that responds to a rapidly changing mobility demand. The rapidly growing population is changing the urban landscape and how we move around in our cities. Technological developments are giving us more control over smart systems and create new interactions with our surroundings. In regulated urban systems, the desire for freedom that is deeply rooted in our human character is becoming increasingly more difficult to satisfy. Problem In 2015, the automotive industry witnessed the hard consequences of the Dieselgate. Nowadays, Volkswagen still suffers from the scandal, as it influences the brand image negatively. Although the brand is building a fully electric identity, Americans still relate to the Dieselgate when they talk about Volkswagen. The people’s opinion of Volkswagen used to be shaped by the iconic models of the past but is now overruled by negativity. In order to enlarge the American market share, Volkswagen should design an eye-catching mobility concept in order to re-establish the brand image. Vision The American Volkswagen driver is someone who irrationally chose to drive a Volkswagen in search for emotional connections with the product. These people will feel uncomfortable in the future which will be shaped through the strive for efficiency. They feel more related to the other side of the future, one that focuses on escaping the daily life and experience memorable moments. In order to re-attract the American Volkswagen driver, the portfolio should offer a product that bridges both worlds, a product that is pushing them to take the risk while feeling trusted going out of their comfort zone. Design The design proposal, named Volkswagen Valor, was developed in corporation with Volkswagen’s design studio in Wolfsburg. It is a 3-person vehicle that offers two configurations. Each configuration is tailored perfectly to the desired interaction, both in the future world of efficiency as in the world of escaping. Valor provides the smooth transition between both worlds and offers several features that give the passengers a memorable experience. Valor is a fresh looking concept with a silhouette that will become iconic in the future. The design language is showing the risk-taking character while breathing the confidence of trustworthiness, embodied by a future interpretation of Volkswagen’s American design language. Evaluation Valor was evaluated by professional car designers working in the Wolfsburg studio. The proposal was reviewed as provoking and interesting. The goal of creating something fresh and unique in order to become iconic in the future, responded perfectly to the evaluation of the proposal. It was evaluated that the vehicle responds logically to the problem and fits well in the envisioned future.

How does business traveling look like in the future? This master project examines the todays travel landscape and uncovers issues business travelers are experiencing during their trips. With the stakeholder Embraer - an aircraft manufacturer from Brazil - the context of this project is very intentionally set to a door-to-door journey with special focus on the transport modes before & after the flight.With the design intervention of an avatar, the traveler is made more confident during the trip, while at the same time the brand Embraer is established. Based on each trip and the travelers unique preferences a trip is crafted by the Embraer AI for each unique travel destination and communicated to the traveler in an easy and understandable manner. The trip is turned into a magical and sheltering experience by the avatar, who translates complex and sometimes inaccessible information into a concrete actions and a transparent itinerary.The Embraer avatar is accompanying the traveler independent of the platform and with the final product design - a mobile application - the trip experience is made tangible.

Technological advancements have resulted in vehicles gaining the ability to effortlessly compile data required to generate Situational Awareness. Situational Awareness is defined as the continuous (re-)processing of information leading to an intangible spatial representation of the environment. While vehicles effortlessly compile Situational Awareness, drivers are only able to generate it through complex cognitive processes that are highly demanding. This thesis introduces an overall framework for an interaction concept for research purposes. This interaction concept aims to actively support the driver in generating Situational Awareness (SA) to reduce the demands on the driver.

The presented approach is an interaction concept that exploits the vehicle’s ability to support drivers in the SA process. This supportive concept aims to support the driver by assessing the driver’s SA and responding in an intervening or informative manner when required. By doing so, the solution aims to reduce the demand on the driver and sequentially enhances the driver’s user experience.

To introduce such a supportive interaction concept, the future context has been considered which revolves around Conditional Autonomous Vehicles. The introduction of such vehicles results in a shifting role allocation between human drivers and automated driving systems. As a result, three driving modes can be encountered in the driving task. Based on the frameworks of information processing and human factors in automation and SA, several aspects are identified that have shaped the aim of the interaction concept in each driving mode.

After it’s invention in 1886, the car has left us with amazing opportunities and progress. But it has become very clear that today’s degree of car use is not sustainable in terms of land and energy use and emissions. Big developments are about to shake up the automotive world, but they do not bring the change that is needed. A traffic jam of electric vehicles is still a traffic jam. Autonomous cars are about to increase the attractiveness of cars and mobility services are mainly competitive with public transport. Many regulations and projects aim to decrease car use and car ownership. But most of them try to address people’s reason by focussing on instrumental motives only. Instead, triggering people’s emotion by means of symbolic affective motives is much more efficient. In this project it is decided to focus on cultural values. Values are strongly tied to emotion and are the most important drivers for people’s behaviour. This design project works with the ViP (Vision in Product Design) design method as guidance, and uses other design and design research methods as input. First, the values of the future user (Mercedes-Benz drivers) are being researched using a qualitative method (Context Mapping) complemented by a quantitative method (Short Schwartz Values Survey). Values most important to Mercedes-Benz drivers are Self-Direction, Security and Benevolence. With the future user in mind and after constructing a future context, a mission statement is formulated: “In a world where AI is valued over human instinct/feelings and urban areas are confronted with severe consequences of climate change, we want MB drivers to embrace travelling with their peers, using sustainable mobility alternatives. In order for them to do so, we need to make sure MB drivers feel their sovereignty is respected, and they feel secure in the changes they are making.” The concept presented in this report is a platform where members form clubs through which they have unlimited access to premium mobility. The most important value propositions of the service are: ‘Unlimited access to premium mobility’, ‘Travel with people you’ve always wanted to meet’, ‘Choosing your own club, feeling at home in your club’, ‘Perform your desired activity’, ‘Growing as a member’, ‘Join in adventure’. The concept was validated by means of presenting the concept as it was ‘already there’, in a folder to do face to face interviews and on a website for an online survey. The in total 65 participants rated the service a 4,3 out of 7. Mercedes-Benz drivers rated the service on average a 3,8 out of 7. Participants were also asked to rate the value propositions of the service. The value propositions that were rated highest all found their roots in the values Self-direction and Security.

This master thesis was executed for Mercedes-Benz; a subsidiary of Daimler AG. Its goal was to design a holistic interior concept for level 4 premium autonomous driving, aimed at:‘’Purpose-driven people, expressing confidence in their success, who reluctantly accept novelty framed by tradition’’, using a context based design approach. In the future, these people will lose their traditional means expressing authenticity and identity. They will no longer be able to achieve confirmation through a hierarchy based interaction with their cars. Additionally, expressing premium shifts from material possession to immaterial behaviour. Therefore, the following mission was stated:‘’I want people to be able to express exclusivity though conduct ,whilst being assured of their personal significance.’’In order to preserve current interaction qualities in a new context, the following analogy for the product-user relationship was described:“Like walking your German Shepherd Dog through the woods’’. During synthesis, an interaction gap was discovered. Current interior concepts aimed at level 4 autonomous diving mainly focussed on technical solutions. Situations were approached as if the customer and car were already cooperating successfully. However, in order to achieve a successful cooperation, both parties first have to trust one another. MIND introduces the artificial intelligence of the car immediately after ordering. During the time it takes to produce the car, referred to as “Transcendence”, the customer teaches MIND his preferences and character traits by allowing it to follow and observe him. MIND proves itself step by step with the assistance of augmented reality. This gradually generates a meaningful relationship between product and user and lowers the emotional threshold to accept future mobility. Feedback on progress made by MIND is communicated by the development of a unique pattern, visible on a physical manifestation of MIND.

- Premium by means of exclusivity is achieved though the developed character of MIND, which is unique and personal to every customer.
- Exclusivity through conduct is achieved by including the customer. Providing effort and being rewarded with something truly personal creates a meaningful experience.
- MIND obtains assurance by proofing its capability in a safe environment, generating confidence.
- The customer is furthermore assured by the transparency of data traffic and storage.
- Personal significance is confirmed through the reactiveness of the pattern.

- MIND is beneficial to the development process at Mercedes-Benz by providing real-time, actual data instead.
- It provides Mercedes-Benz as brand with the opportunity to manifest itself as a mobility provider without the necessity of a physical car.

MIND as a concept provides a train of thought about expressing premium through behavior rather than possession. It can serve as inspiration for smaller-scoped design briefs. It can provide the bridge between user wants and technical developments. Finally, MIND can be applied beyond ownership in shared mobility and public transport systems. Moreover, it can be applied beyond the context of mobility, positioning Mercedes-Benz as life companion rather than mobility agent.