Predictive Maintenance
Overview
This project explores a predictive maintenance experience for in-vehicle infotainment systems, designed to help drivers better understand vehicle health and anticipate maintenance needs before issues become urgent. Current car warning systems are often reactive, vague, and stressful, leaving drivers confused about what actions to take and when.
This concept reimagines maintenance as a proactive, explainable experience that surfaces issues early, clarifies severity, and supports informed decision-making across the vehicle and mobile app.
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TIME SPAN
August 2024 - December 2024
TOOLS
ROLE
UX/UI Designer
UX Researcher
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Figma
Photoshop
Key Design Features
Landing Page
The landing page surfaces urgent vehicle issues at a glance, explaining the problem and its location. Users can tap an alert to access AI-assisted scheduling that suggests maintenance appointments based on their availability.
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Maintenance Hub
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The Maintenance Hub gives users a clear view of vehicle health, explaining warning lights, maintenance timing, and past service history to support informed decisions.
Phone Diagnostics
The Citroën mobile app provides AI-assisted diagnostics, offering performance insights, weekly driving summaries, and personalized recommendations to improve efficiency and reduce maintenance costs.
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Process Overview
1. Research
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
With our research statement given to us from our client, Stellantis, we decided to do competitive analysis on different cars and how their maintenance systems work.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Maintenance function in Electric Vehicles are on a virtual display and can be accessible on either center or cluster displays. They provide information on your vehicle and service items you need to check and maintain.
Features
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Maintenance & Diagnostics: Vehicles provide clear maintenance schedules based on mileage and time. Some offer a visual progress bar for upcoming service checks. Diagnostics typically include a general system health overview and specific indicators like tire pressure and engine oil levels.
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EV & Charging Features: Electric models display battery levels, charging status, and recommended charge amounts. Some also integrate nearby charging station locators and detailed energy usage diagnostics.
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Vehicle Status & Alerts: Dashboards consolidate service messages, inspection reminders, and emergency contact options. Warning messages are present but may lack specific details in some interfaces.
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User Accessibility: Key information—such as fuel/battery levels, coolant temperature, and tire pressure—is positioned for quick reference, enhancing ease of vehicle maintenance and monitoring.
CAR SELECTION
Based on our competitive analysis, we decided to choose the 2024 Citroën C5 Aircross as our vehicle to redesign due to the lack of maintenance systems within the vehicle.
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2. Define
Through our online research of the main issues that drivers go through, we identified some key factors that need to be addressed when creating our redesign.
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Sources:
KEY FEATURES
Pains
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Understanding & Awareness Issues
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Lack of understanding of dashboard warning lights
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Cannot distinguish between minor and major problems
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Maintenance & Timing Challenges
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No time frame for maintenance checks
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Cost Concerns
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Costs of maintenance gradually becoming higher
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Real-Time Issue Management
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Ways to mitigate issues in real time
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Needs
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Clear Explanation of Dashboard Warning Lights – A simple, accessible guide or system that explains the meaning and urgency of each warning light.
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Scheduled Maintenance Reminders – A system that provides timely alerts for maintenance checks based on mileage, time, or vehicle condition.
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Cost Management Tools – Features that track maintenance expenses, estimate upcoming costs, and suggest cost-effective service options.
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Real-Time Diagnostic App or System – A mobile app or vehicle-integrated system that instantly explains warning lights, provides severity levels, and suggests actions.
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PERSONA
Based on out findings through our online research and competitive analysis, I created a persona of a young adult who would fit the issue we are trying to fix. This persona allowed us to create a template for what we want to focus on for the project.
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3. Ideate
Getting inspiration for our new design
We created our new designs based off of current cars and their designs of the cluster and center display. We took a lot of inspiration from Chinese brand cars and Tesla. Below is our inspiration boards.
INSPIRATION BOARDS
General Inspo
Cluster Display Inspo
Center Display Inspo
4. Prototype
LO-FI PROTOYPE
Center Display
The lo-fi cluster display showcases the EV hybrid vehicle’s capabilities with a clear, intuitive layout. The right side displays battery percentage, while the left side tracks gas mileage and estimated refuel time. Users also receive hybrid engine diagnostics and can easily switch between Normal, Hybrid, and Sport modes. This design ensures quick access to key information, enhancing efficiency and user experience.
Cluster Display
The cluster display places the menu bar and music controls on the left for easy access while driving. A visual of the Citroën car highlights any issues, with a prompt to schedule maintenance immediately. This ensures users address problems promptly, preventing costly repairs from delayed maintenance.
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Maintenance Hub
The Maintenance Hub simplifies vehicle upkeep by clearly displaying all issues, eliminating the need to decode dashboard warning lights. It provides a general overview of maintenance concerns, allowing users to select specific parts for AI-powered diagnostics and personalized maintenance tips to ensure their vehicle’s health.
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5. Test
HI-FI PROTOTYPE
Based on feedback from Stellantis and testing with other participants, we made several improvements to our lo-fi designs to better meet user needs and enhance the overall experience.
Style Guide
We wanted to stay true to Citroën colors and design, so we stuck with their three signature colors (Infra Red, Monte Carlo, and Pure White) and typeface (Trad Gothic Next LT Pro).
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Citroën App
We developed the app to align with the shift toward digital vehicle management. The home page provides immediate vehicle warnings, allowing users to take action from their phone instead of waiting until they’re in the car. Additionally, we moved detailed diagnostics from the in-car Maintenance Hub to the app, making it easier to review important information without the distraction of driving.
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Cluster Display
The new cluster display improves readability for battery and fuel levels. The right side prioritizes EV features, displaying battery status and drive modes, including Power, Eco, and Charge, retained from the original Citroën. Fuel indicators remain on the left, ensuring a clear and intuitive layout.
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Center Display
The updated center display highlights vehicle issues and the user’s calendar on the left for easier access while driving. Now, when users tap an issue, an AI-generated response suggests available time slots in their calendar, ensuring maintenance scheduling fits seamlessly into their day.
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Maintenance Hub
To minimize distractions for the driver, we simplified the center display by showing key vehicle issues, maintenance deadlines, and a history of past services. This allows users to easily track maintenance without overwhelming them with detailed diagnostics while driving.
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Navigation
Stellantis suggested enhancing navigation assistance to help users while driving and reduce maintenance costs. Upon opening the navigation, users are presented with nearby gas stations and electric fueling stations. As they drive, they receive traffic alerts to save fuel and eco mode suggestions to cut emissions and protect the vehicle. Additionally, the system offers alternate routes when potholes are detected, helping drivers avoid road damage and save on wheel maintenance.
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