We've been asked to design the next generation of connected car apps to push forward the digital transformation process that the Porsche Design team started in its innovation laboratory. The collaboration resulted not only in the launch of the Porsche Connect and Porsche Offroad Precision apps but also provided a design language system and a UI Toolkit.
Connected cars allow their drivers to manage their mobility, their vehicle as well as their safety. To do that, the mobile app needs to continuously provide feedback. To recreate this huge amount of layers of information, we had to design a system of notifications and alerts, to inform the user and, at the same time, be compliant with standard requirements.
During the immersion phase, the team gained insights into the existing Porsche apps and conducted interviews with Porsche drivers to better understand who is the Cayenne buyer and their needs. Based on 2 archetypes, a list of prioritized use cases, and design principles, the team was able to start working in parallel with the interactive patterns and the visual design. For what concerns the design of geofences, the notification system, and the A/C remote control, I was strictly in contact with Porsche engineers and lawyers, as well as in-car designers, to meet regulatory compliance and keep consistency.
The notification system is designed to be intuitive and to be displayed directly on the vehicle app visualizations, keeping in consideration multiple views, models, and colors to be scalable and accessible. The icon style is created using a fine, constant, one-pixel thick contour and the avoidance of filled-in blocks; right angles alternate with rounded corners.