Chevrolet Silverado EV
Personalizing the shared vehicle experience by leveraging ultra-wideband technology
Roles
UX Researcher
UX Designer
Timeline
January - April 2025
Skills
User Interviews
Competitive Analysis
Wireframing
Prototyping
Tools
Figma
Sketchfab
Screens Studio
The Project
For an Automotive UX course project at the University of Michigan, I worked with General Motors to reimagine the shared vehicle experience in the Chevrolet Silverado EV.
My focus was on leveraging Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology to enable seamless personalization for multiple drivers. This project resulted in a high-fidelity interactive prototype, which I had the opportunity to present to key stakeholders at General Motors.
The Problem
Friction in Shared Vehicle Experiences
In multi-driver households, sharing a vehicle often leads to significant inconvenience. Drivers constantly face the frustration of readjusting settings and reconnecting personal devices, making the experience feel anything but personalized.
To better understand these pain points, I conducted user interviews with two people who frequently shared vehicles to hear about their main frustrations. In addition, I conducted a competitive analysis of four existing EV pickup trucks on the market to identify gaps and opportunities.
The Solution
To transform shared vehicles into truly personal spaces, I designed an experience powered by Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology. UWB's precise, short-range wireless communication enables the vehicle to accurately detect the driver's exact location, facilitating seamless automatic recognition and hands-free functionalities.
User Interviews → Secondary Research → Competitive Analysis → Wireframes → High-Fidelity Mockups → Prototyping → Usability Testing → Final Design
Key Research Insights
1. Personalization signals autonomy and safety
Participants emphasized that feeling comfortable in their own vehicle also made them more confident as drivers, leading to more feelings of safety on the road.
2. Reducing setup time reduces conflict
Participants reported that the time spent reconfiguring a shared vehicle often leads to tension between the drivers.
3. Micro-frictions add up to major frustration
We found that small inconveniences in setting up a vehicle compound over time, wasting time and increase frustration in multi-driver households.
Key Features
Automatic Driver Recognition
Driver "Fingerprint": UWB technology’s ability to detect location with centimeter-level accuracy enables the system to automatically recognizes who is in the driver’s seat through the mobile or smartwatch app. This eliminates the need for manual profile selection and ensures a personalized experience, regardless of who used the truck last.
Saved Settings
Ergonomic Settings: Seats, mirrors, steering wheel, and other controls automatically adjust to the driver's preset positions, creating immediate comfort and optimal ergonomics.
Entertainment & Comfort: Personal playlists, climate control settings, navigation preferences, and interior lighting automatically load, making the cabin instantly familiar and comfortable upon entry.
Hands Free Trailering
*As a bonus, we included this feature based on a user complaint in one of our interviews about the difficulty of navigating a large vehicle precisely!
To further enable independence, we implemented UWB technology to enable trailering with no help. The driver simply positions the trailer within five to ten feet of the truck's hitch and initiates the connection via the vehicle screen. The truck then utilizes UWB technology to precisely maneuver itself to automatically align and hitch the trailer.