Trek
Service design for semi-autonomous vehicles • Fall 2015The act of driving symbolizes personal autonomy and freedom. When an individual is deemed no longer fit to drive, their caretaker is burdened with the act of taking away the car keys. Trek explored how semi-autonomous cars might help mitigate the anxiety experienced by elderly drivers and their caretakers for my Service Design class at Carnegie Mellon.
Over the course of the semester, my team researched ways to utilize a vehicle's sensor technology to develop a friendlier, more accessible driving experience.
We generated several user enactment scenarios designed to identify participants' wants and needs related to Trek's ecosystem prototype which consisted of in-car feedback mechanisms as well as a corresponding mobile app.
Video courtesy of Yooyoung Ko
Process
We first explored several other problem spaces involving vehicles before deciding to focus on the aging population. As smart cars increase in popularity coupled with a growing number of seniors, we felt that there was an opportunity to investigate the relationship between the two.
To gain a better understanding of this domain, we spoke with caretakers who were familiar with trying to dissuade their parents from driving. A common theme that emerged was the importance of maintaining an elderly person’s mental well-being in check after their driving privileges were revoked. They emphasized how important the physical car keys meant to the seniors in their care—these were literally the “keys” to their independence.
Existing customer experience journey without Trek
Our conversations with caretakers inspired the creation of storyboards centered around four themes which we used as part of a speed dating research exercise. We ran these storyboard scenarios by mix of caretakers and individuals who had close relationships with elderly people to get feedback on our proposed designs.
Participants generally liked the idea of owning a smart car that continuously provided feedback and assumed control in unsafe conditions, but also thought that it shouldn’t be limited to seniors.
They wanted a semi-autonomous car that could evaluate a driver’s performance earlier on, compared to when their abilities began to deteriorate, to track trends and patterns over a period of time. This would give younger drivers the chance to develop better safety habits sooner and as they grew older, gradually transition them away from driving at a rate based on their individual needs.
User enactment and results
We used our collected feedback to devise three futuristic smart car scenarios:
Unsafe driving episodes
Trek mobile app and having to take away the car keys
Trek taking control of the vehicle in unsafe driving conditions
I sat in the passenger's seat while Maggie (below) provided HUD notifications and Joyce (right) simulated haptic feedback
Our user enactment setup consisted of a mock smart car outfitted with a steering wheel, front seats, and windshield with a simulated HUD. Participants assumed the role of an elderly driver while my teammates acted out the car’s functions and pretended to be the senior’s caretaker. I was responsible for moderating each session and walking participants through the given scenarios.
Revised customer journey with Trek
Throughout our user enactments, we discovered that there needs to be a better way to communicate to the driver when the car took control. We attempted to provide participants with visual notifications in the HUD and haptic feedback through the steering wheel, but they didn’t understand what was happening or went unnoticed. Furthermore, participants echoed sentiments from our previous research that if Trek were to be successful, drivers should buy the car service for themselves rather than have it be forced on them later in life.
Team Trek (from left to right): Jess Phoa, Joyce Ker, Maggie Li, and Yooyoung Ko
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