Driving Delight
Approach
Lightyear set out to build a radically different electric vehicle—one featuring solar panels. Guided by their “less is more” design philosophy, both the exterior and interior styling were already in place. However, the dashboard and infotainment system posed an entirely new set of challenges: countless regulations, strict hardware limitations, and the need to adopt familiar consumer tech interaction patterns for drivers. Not to mention changing existing perceptions of electric vehicles, such as the fear of running out of charge.
Lightyear sought experts from beyond the traditional automotive sphere—enter our team. We joined at the early concept stage, tasked with reconciling minimalism, safety, and a seamless user experience for the dashboard and infotainment interfaces, while fully integrating the innovative solar technology Lightyear brought to the table.
Challenge
We began by dissecting the labyrinth of European, international, and national regulations essential for vehicle displays. Through rigorous interaction design, we ensured that mandatory warning icons, colors, and sizes were integrated seamlessly into a system that still felt intuitive. After exhaustive mapping, we identified the bare minimum space required for legal compliance and then layered in user-friendly flows, step by step.
With the regulatory foundations set, our team iterated on screen layouts and hardware choices. Starting with simple sketches we balanced creative freedom with the realities of mandatory icons and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility. Meanwhile, we delved into touchscreen specifications and the physical “pads” on the steering wheel, exploring everything from simple volume controls to advanced multi-gesture inputs.
Beyond these necessities, we focused on how this vehicle would differ from any other electric vehicle. Thanks to its solar panels, range anxiety and trip planning were less of a concern. But how do you translate the generated power into the UI? In close collaboration with the data science team, we created a unit called the “Solar Kilometer.” Ultimately, our collective goal was to craft a cohesive in-car experience that felt both innovative and immediately approachable.