When Your Smartphone Meets Your Car – A comprehensive FAQ on the intuitive electric car UI, LUCEE

“Function, emotion and perfect attention to detail are the key ingredients to a user-friendly UI design.”
- Isabell Seeger, Lead Designer of UX Automotive, Zoreza Global

When’s the last time you checked your email on the go? What about surfing the web on a mobile device? With smartphones and other devices seamlessly incorporated into everyday life, we live in a very technology-focused era – plugging us into the digital world no matter where we are. So to incorporate a seamless experience for users, the way we interact with our cars as we near the widespread adoption of electric vehicles should be just as simple as using our smartphones. The mobility revolution is here, and car manufacturers need a way to make their cars all the more enticing to buyers.

But let’s take it a step further – what if the smartphone was the central point of control for the electric car? Then it would be easy for users to interact with any vehicle, connecting users to the car itself. Linking a mobile phone to the car would help the driving experience feel connected, unified and make sense to users – helping satisfy their needs.

Intrigued? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) below to learn more about our unique user interface (UI) for electric cars.

1. I would love to have the way I interact with my smartphone also in my electric vehicle, but with more space, flexibility and intelligence – is that possible?

It’s completely possible. We developed the Zoreza Global User Centered EV-Infotainment (LUCEE) UI, which seamlessly transfers the smartphone world into the car environment. Users can drag and drop tasks and information to personalize their screens, just like a mobile phone. And with an intuitive user interface and a much bigger (yet familiar) display, it’s even better than a smartphone – you get more flexibility, have more space in the car environment, and it’s very easy to use.

2. If I have a phone call, can I look at my calendar or even see where I’m headed while still on the call?

When answering a call, the user can see other information easily – such as a calendar or where they are on a map – just by swiping once. This allows the user to get all the information they need on one screen without having to open and close different applications – making viewing information simple even while on the road.

3. Is it safe to receive notifications and view other information even when on the road?

Let’s say you’re listening to your favorite artist’s music on your music player, and you receive a notification about them having a concert in the area. When you select the notification, you’ll see an overview of the concert details, your free time slots on your calendar, and a short snapshot of your navigation map – all on one screen. This makes viewing information very safe. And with one simple selection, you could book your concert tickets right then and there.

4. How do I go on a long-distance drive in my electric vehicle without worrying about stalling?

This question addresses one of the biggest concerns in regards to electric vehicles: how do you know how much distance you can reliably go and when you need to stop at a charging station? Since LUCEE is an intelligent user interface, it can help plan trips for you to ease any concerns. Users then can see a dynamic visual of their entire trip on the screen, and can adjust their distance range and associated charge time with intuitive touch interactions.

5. Is there a way to always know how much charge my battery has left?

As an extension to question #4, LUCEE also shows how much distance you can cover with your current charge, as well as the nearest charging stations to your location in an easy-to-read visual. The system also informs you verbally when your battery power is low, and notifies you of the most convenient charging stations nearby. And to further minimize your worries, this feature is always clearly visible and entirely customizable to the user’s needs.

6. Does this UI come with a personal assistant?

Yes, and it recognizes your voice, too. Your personal assistant is a proactive, self-learning AI that tends to your every need. It can inform you when your battery is low and when to switch from Sports to Eco mode, which consumes less power by disabling the radio, heating and climate control. It then can automatically show you where the nearest charging station is. The personal assistant can also take requests on what amenities you would like available at a charging station, such as one with a nice restaurant – so while your car recharges, you can too.

The most user-friendly user interface

“Since we developed LUCEE in the beginning stages of the mobility revolution, imagine how it will change the way we interact with our cars,” said Olaf Preissner, Head of UX Automotive at Zoreza Global. “But this is only the tip of the iceberg!”

Step by step and solution by solution, we’re driving the automotive industry in the midst of the mobility revolution – and we’re not just saying that! Soon, Zoreza Global will be attending the Car HMI Europe event in Berlin, from June 27-29, and are hoping LUCEE will be nominated for the Car HMI Award in the category “Most User Friendly”. Join us for a live demonstration incorporating virtual reality, and learn about what new next-generation HMIs automakers and users can look forward to!

-The LUCEE Team: Isabell Seeger, Olaf Preissner, Daniel Keller, Eugen Schlee, Christian Scheuermann, Sascha Fritzsch and Christoph Baldenhofer