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Written by
Alec Whitten
Published on
17 January 2022
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Overview
Problem
UX Approach
Impact
Takeaways
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Designing the Future of Automotive Experiences

Overview

As part of a 9-week design sprint hosted by the USC Iovine and Young Academy in partnership with the Honda Innovation Team, I joined a multidisciplinary group to explore the future of mobility.

Our Challenge
What is the future of automotive as transportation, experience, and extension of identity and lifestyle?

As part of a 9-week design sprint hosted by the USC Iovine and Young Academy in partnership with the Honda Innovation Team, I joined a multidisciplinary Insight group to explore the future of mobility.

Our team included:

  • UX Designer (me)
  • Product Strategist
  • VR Prototyper
  • Video Game Designer

Together, we explored how mobility systems could evolve into emotional, identity-driven experiences in a future shaped by AI, AR/VR, and emerging cultural values. I led the UX design work, journey mapping, in-vehicle interface design, and storytelling.

Problem

Through our research and interviews, we discovered that most Gen Z and late millennials prefer not to drive. When they do, they seek connection, emotional comfort, and personalization. For them, cars are not just for transportation, they also reflect identity, lifestyle, and digital integration.

How might we...
design a car that builds trust, comfort, and emotional connection with its driver while adapting to their evolving needs?

To explore this further, we:

  • Conducted interviews and brainstorming sessions
  • Analyzed competitive and futuristic automotive UX
  • Created personas and mapped user identities
  • User Journey mapping accross driving scenarios

Image courtesy of Jasmin Chew via Pexels

Image courtesy of Jasmin Chew via Pexels

UX Approach

We kicked off with deep brainstorming sessions around current in-car pain points and future possibilities. Our North Star was a human-centered and adaptive experience; A human-centered, emotionally adaptive in-vehicle experience that responds to identity, mood, and context. We did peer interviews and synthesized the insights using affinity mapping to uncover emerging patterns and emotional needs.

To ground our concepts, I conducted competitive research on in-vehicle UX trends, smart car ecosystems, and autonomous technologies. Exploring innovations like HUDs, holographic VR, and AI-powered interfaces. These insights helped shape our vision for a futuristic, emotionally intelligent driving experience.

We developed storyboards highlighting key scenarios, including AI-powered personalization, context-aware transitions, and support for emotional wellbeing. We reimagined ASIMO as a friendly, intelligent in-car companion who could guide and interact with users throughout their journey.

From concept to interface, I sketched, designed, and prototyped the UI, integrating features that aligned with our core themes. I used tools and methods such as affinity mapping, moodboarding, scenario mapping, and user journey visualization to create a cohesive and forward-thinking design system.

  • Built a mid-fi prototype in Figma, paired with a 3D Spline dashboard to simulate interaction
  • User personas focused on millennial pet owners and solo travelers
  • Journey mapping for long road trips with emotional pain points

Key UX themes: trust, adaptability, emotional connection, and minimal distraction

Image courtesy of Jasmin Chew via Pexels

Impact

Our concept positioned mobility as more than just transportation. It became a platform for building meaningful emotional connections between users and their vehicles. Inspired by Honda’s iconic ASIMO AI, we envisioned a car that behaves not only as a vehicle but as a trustworthy companion.

This future-focused concept strongly resonated with Honda stakeholders as both an emotionally rich brand extension and a glimpse into next-generation customer experience. By integrating emotionally adaptive features like personalized comfort zones and spatial AR interfaces, the project offered Honda a compelling way to strengthen brand relevance, particularly among Gen-Z and late Millennial drivers.

Our concept was selected as a top finalist by Honda stakeholders. The final prototype illustrated:

90
%
Disqualified Leads
Majority of inquiries were not eligible cases
90
%
Disqualified Leads
Majority of inquiries were not eligible cases

An adaptive AR interface that shifts based on driver mood and pet behavior

A personalized trip planner that makes rest stop suggestions based on emotional cues (boredom, anxiety, fatigue)

A real-time calming system for pets (rain sounds, color modulation, interactive visuals)

This concept highlighted the potential of empathetic design in automotive UX, generating strong internal interest.

Image courtesy of Jasmin Chew via Pexels

Takeaways

This project taught me that UX design isn’t limited to screens. It’s about crafting emotionally intelligent, full-sensory experiences. I learned that vehicles can become personal extensions of identity and that strong collaboration is key to navigating ambiguity and team misalignment.

If I were to do it again, I would focus earlier on clarifying system-user interactions, data permissions, and AI transparency.

Throughout the process, I strengthened my skills in rapid prototyping, environmental UX, and cross-functional communication during fast-paced and high-ambiguity sprints.