Dash

The Solution

I designed a dash display that increased data recall by 36% in user testing. A driver who can recall dash information has to take their eyes off the road less often.

source1
source2

The Problem

Most dash displays shows too much information to recall and can distract a driver from the road. Distracted driving leads directly to an increase in injuries, fatalities and accident damage1.

This case study was created after I experienced close calls as a pedestrian. In these instances drivers weren’t looking at the road or the person in front of them.

Infotainment touch screens can distract a driver for up to 40 seconds2 , long enough to cover half a mile at 50 mph.

Problem statement

Dash displays have too much information for a driver to safely recall at speed. In young adults short term memory can hold 3-5 chunks3 of information. A Tesla Model 3 dash has over 30.

source3

Model 3 dash focal points

Why

Phones, infotainment and climate controls are listed multiple times in top 10 sources of driver distraction4. Phones and infotainment will be with us for the foreseeable future, so how do we reduce their distraction?

source4

Research

Discovery interviews
Competitive analysis
Statistics & metrics

I studied the display and control details of 6 different passenger cars. These cars were selected based on sales volume, wide range of price and include both foreign and domestic models.insert filler text here so the block ends up being longer and the spacing

They averaged 13 pieces of data5 on their dash displays. Discovery interviews revealed drivers needed only 3.4 pieces of data on their dash.

When asked what are 3 or more most important pieces of data? the top 2 responses are speed and fuel, with range, time, and drive mode ranking 3rd.

source5

2021 Toyota Camry dash has 24 pieces of data

2021 Honda Accord dash has 17 pieces of data

User testing

Methodology
Recall (memory)
Legibility

Recall (memory): to simulate looking at a dash display while driving testers were exposed to a test design for 3 seconds. Testers were seated in front of a laptop display which was scaled and positioned to approximate sitting in a vehicle. After exposure they were asked to what data they could recall.

Display designs with 3 elements scored 36%6 higher on recall tests than 5 elements designs (combined averages: across 9 test images and 5 individuals)

source6

A still frame from eye tracking tests shows a user trying to read low contrast graphics, red areas indicate longer focal times

Design solution

Driven by testing
Information reduction

User testing informed me that having less information displayed would lead to greater information recall. Showing less also benefitted the legibility of the dash.

I designed a display with only 3 active elements. Speed and fuel are permanently active, they ranked a unanimous 1 and 2 in importance in interviews.

The third element is user selected and users can toggle between navigation, climate or HVAC. The standard suite of warning lights, turn signals and BSM were retained.

A high fidelity prototype with 3 active elements

Process & iteration

Sketches
Wireframing
Test improved
Data driven

In round 2, after re-designs, users could discern the purpose of the HVAC element and could read temperatures clearly and read the window defrost icon.

Users couldn’t read this novel design for climate and seat control in the first round of testing (sketch right)

An illegible design can draw extended user focal time , taking their eyes away from the road.

A fan icon and a human profile inspired by existing industry standards were readable in user testing (design right)

A 3 element design was selected due to a few objective factors...


1) The number of data an average person can store in short term memory

2) The number of data users said were important to them in interviews

3) The 3 element design tested higher in recall/memory than 5.

During round 1 of recall/memory user testing users could not read the HVAC graphic, and were confused to its purpose.