Rally Car Digital Display UI Design
The goal of this project was to research and design a proper digital display for a rally car. While most cars need to display a lot of information to the driver, the rally car focuses on showing the driver just the essential details. The most important information is what gear they are driving in, and how close they are to needing to shift. Nearly every professional rally car has a separate display for the gear selected, so I ultimately needed to find a way to notify the driver it is time to shift gears.
Storyboarding
After finding sufficient research of rally car displays and the importance of the gear selected, engine rpm (revolutions per minute), engine temperature (oil and coolant), and the oil pressure, it was time to start sketching. I was aiming to use color to notify the driver when the engine is warmed up (reached operating temperature) and also use color to notify the driver they are reaching the end of the gear, and need to shift.
Sketching
I utilzied Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and XD to create this design. This first attempt at the digital version appeared to be very successful, however, upon performing a usability test, some users would have preferred to display the gear selected where the MPH is displayed. After trying both, testing found it to be most successful to display the gear on a separate screen.
From Paper to Digital Design
Final Design
This project was successful at not only displaying the proper and necessary information for the driver but also providing a way for the car to notify the driver that they need to shift. Visual color changes and flashes are enough to be seen in the peripheral vision of the driver, who is focused on the road ahead. This creates a safe environment where the driver can remain focused while being notified that they have reached the top of the gear they are in. This keeps the driver informed of the car’s status and allows for the car to continue racing at optimal speeds.