KIA motors
Car Dashboard Interface
Client
KIA Motors
Role
Senior UI designer
Project Date
Early 2010 to end of 2010
Principles & Goals
01
Identity
Set up the universal design identity of KIA (Dynamic K - Youthful, Sporty, Bold, Tough)
02
Classify
Establish the standard of design identity depends on types of cars
03
Affective Design
Materialize the 'KIA' contents that concerned with emotional relationships between users and products through the research of Affective design.
04
Usablity
Deliver the interface that communicates through the integrated information network.
Design Direction
Flexible
Bold
Responsive
Fun
Innovative
Sporty
Energetic
Rewarding
Smart
Reliable
Dynamic
Trustworthy
Exciting & Enabling
KIA Identity:
Consistency Across Segments: Keep common elements consistent across all KIA cars.
External Differentiation: Make each car stand out with unique external features.
3-Cylinder Design:
Visual Representation: Use a simple and recognizable design on the plate surface.
Differentiation: Make the cylinder or other accent elements unique, as seen in the Geneva Motor Show Concept No.3.
Instrument Panel:
Consistent Appearance: All KIA cars' pointers graphic should look the same when lights are off, even if the shapes different.
Unique Digital Gauge: Use KIA's unique digital gauge.
Integrated Interface: Enhance communication between the cluster and center fascia by combining functions and images.
Re-evaluation Needed: Question the need for certain elements, (e.g., Do we need to express the temperature gauge with a pointer? It is barely visible.)
Head-Up Display: Prioritize the speedometer for high-speed driving. Implement an accessible head-up display to reduce distractions. Quality shouldn’t be compromised; even a cost-effective option should be used where necessary. (Example: Peugeot 3008’s cost-saving head-up display.)
Adjustable Interface: Focus on the SPEED/RPM GAUGE in a digital environment.
Customization:
Cluster Appearance: Offer customizable housing and border colors for the cluster.
Regional Preferences:
China: Red lighting/background
Consider color, material, font, and layout according to regional preferences.
Design Style:
Modern and Stylish: Follow contemporary trends and conduct research for future directions.
Seasonal Collections: Adapt designs to reflect seasonal trends.
Lighting
Change the light color depending on the mode
Example: Sports mode - Use red lighting to create a fiery feeling. / Eco mode - Use green lighting
Ecomony Car
Atomic K
Cleverness
Bright
Tact
Entry-level car
Touched K
Sensitivity
Impressed
Moved
Touched
Hybrid Car
Progressed K
Advanced
Progress
Forward movement
Luxury Car
Cultured K
Quality
Seniority
High rank
Color definition for Hybrid car
The challenge was to make it different than the existing dashboard in the car.
Using a bright color for the dashboard was one of the new attempts.
In addition, having a Day/Night option (very common now) was quite innovative at that time, when full LCD screens on the dashboard barely existed.
Iteration
The vehicle type that I was in charge of was the 'Hybrid car' and 'HUD'. The goal was to use the concept design for the motor and CES shows in order to show the future art direction.