Project Description:
PEAR had no instrument cluster -- just a small LCD panel showing speed and turn signals which was visible through the dash fabric. So the traditional location for tell-tales (vehicle warning and information icons) was not available. We originally planned to use the center screen, but in the six-seater bench-seat models that screen was relatively small, so using up a big chunk for tell-tales was problematic.
Therefore, together with the interior studio team, we designed a novel solution for showing the tell-tales in a strip of the dashboard. Beyond providing a good location for them, it provided a delightful experience as they seemed to appear from nowhere when they lit up.
My Role:
I led the user experience for this design, as the PEAR Lead Product Designer.
♦ Working with the interior design studio to identify where the tell-tales should go
♦ Since we couldn't use dynamic tell-tales for these, identified which made a reasonable group to put to the right of the wheel if all didn't fit (the headlight-related ones), and also what needed to be farther to the middle to be visible by all passengers by law (the passenger airbag one)
♦ Creating visuals to demonstrate the design
♦ Then expanded the design to include blind spots, forward collision warning, and adaptive cruise indications as described below
♦ Presenting the design to the design director, then the Sr. VP of Design, and then the CEO
The Design:
At "bulb check" as the system powers up
An a more typical state while driving (well, maybe going 999 MPH is not typical, but otherwise)
Ideas for Taking the Idea Further:
Working with a creative member of my team who had ideas about expanding what we could do, we added an the idea to show blind spots
And to change to red ones near them for a more-urgent version of blind spots if changing lanes or turning into that obstacle
Based on a need I know to be critical, we then further expanded that with a way to show much more prominently that in adaptive cruise. Working with interior studio again, we found we could in fact make the blue light glow onto the steering wheel column to make it even more prominent.
This is critical information as people can touch the brake pedal intuitively, not realize they are now no longer in adaptive cruise, and could rear-end someone not realizing.
This is critical information as people can touch the brake pedal intuitively, not realize they are now no longer in adaptive cruise, and could rear-end someone not realizing.
The Result:
The hidden tell-tale strip was very well liked and I presented it up the chain to the PEAR Director, Fisker Sr. VP of Design, and then the CEO, who all approved the idea. This became our plan for showing tell-tales on PEAR, freeing up the center screen for showing media, HVAC, and other information without a dedicated tell-tale area.
While the CEO wanted the blind spot monitors closer to the speed in the middle instead of near the peripheries, he also liked the blue glow on the steering wheel so that addition became part of the PEAR design plan as well.