Hyundai Smart Urban Scooter
UX RESEARCH · INTERACTION DESIGN · VEHICLE INTERFACE DESIGN
DURATION
6 Weeks | Oct. - Dec. 2025
ROLE
Interaction Designer
TEAM
4 Interaction Designers
PERCEIVED IMPACT
Thousands of urban commuters will benefit from a semi-autonomous scooter that delivers real-time navigation and safety support in unpredictable environments.
Safety is Key.
For this academic project, we explored what it would look like to bring Hyundai’s semi-autonomous features from cars into the world of electric scooters. With safety as a core priority, we designed interactions that help riders stay informed and in tune with what’s happening around them, specifically in the context of urban commuting.
As a designer on this team, I shaped the foundational interaction model and validated our decisions through usability studies. My prototyping work enabled fast iteration, helping the team evolve early concepts into a cohesive final interface.
KEY FEATURES
Our Solution
DIGITAL
Making Navigation Easier
Most scooter riders shift their gaze between the road and their phone to reach their destination.
We integrated Bluetooth-powered maps directly into the dashboard, along critical information like speed and battery, allowing riders to stay informed without losing focus.
DIGITAL + PHYSICAL
Enabling Rider Autonomy
Riders cruise when they want, control when they need.
We incorporated two modes from Hyundai's semi-autonomous technology: Auto for assisted obstacle detection and slowing, and Manual for full rider control.
DIGITAL + PHYSICAL
Delivering Real-Time Alerts
Urban roads are chaotic, and riders may not always notice everything around them.
On-screen alerts paired with side-specific haptic feedback on handlebars help riders notice and locate obstacles instantly.
PHYSICAL
Increasing Rider Visibility
Scooter riders and pedestrians often move similarly, making it difficult for others to distinguish between the two
We added turn signals with large, bright blinking lights and an audible bell to signal approach and intent to others.
DESIGN PROCESS
How We Got There
TWO PERSPECTIVES, ONE ROAD
We spoke to 5 riders and non-riders and identified key patterns relating to riding motivation, behavior, safety concerns, and the tensions between riders and those around them.
Affinity Diagram of Research Data
PAIN POINTS
What We Discovered
Navigation
Scooter riders must constantly split attention between the road and their phone — forcing unsafe glances, delayed decisions, and missed hazards.
"Rules of the Road"
Scooters exist in a gray area,
neither pedestrian nor vehicle, leading to unpredictable behavior, tense interactions, and unclear right-of-way.
Rider Profile
From a distance, riders visually blend in with pedestrians, causing cars and people to react late, misjudge speed, or be startled by their approach.
How might we improve urban scooter safety by making navigation clearer, interactions more predictable, and riders more visible on the road with semi-autonomous features?
IDEATION
We transformed our sketches into low-fidelity prototypes.
FEEDBACK BECAME CLARITY
4 thinkaloud sessions testing the usability of our low-fidelity prototype revealed friction around physical controls. Riders confused the handlebars for acceleration, bell placement is not ideal, and left/right turn button is unclear.
Affinity Diagram of Thinkaloud Data
ITERATION
We incorporated this feedback into our design.
NEXT STEPS
If we had more time, we would…
Clarify onboarding and connection flow, addressing Bluetooth pairing, app expectations, and feature accessibility.
Improve screen glanceability by adjusting display tilt and refining notification placement.
Evaluate turn-signal lighting options, experimenting with color, brightness, and blink patterns to see which setup yields highest rider visibility.
FINAL DELIVERABLE
LEARNINGS
1.
Micro Interactions Matter
Small details like button clarity, bell placement, and handlebar form can make or break usability.
2.
Hybrid Systems Need harmony
When digital alerts, physical controls, and on-screen navigation work cohesively, riders think less and ride more. Alignment between physical + interface systems leads to smoother decision-making and safer behavior.
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