Mercedes-Benz is a renowned automotive manufacturer committed to quality and unbridled innovation for over a century.
"Changing the game since 1886." -Mercedes-Benz
The in-car entertainment experience. The automaker had developed a module to bridge the gap between vehicle and media, but needed an expert perspective on interaction, exterior module design and the overall user experience.
Mercedes-Benz is a renowned automotive manufacturer committed to quality and unbridled innovation for over a century.
"Changing the game since 1886." -Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz came to Speck seeking to revisit the in-car entertainment experience. The automaker had developed a module to bridge the gap between vehicle and media but needed an expert perspective on interaction, exterior module design, and the overall user experience. The core issue was the conflicting product life cycles between consumer electronics; accessories have a short life cycle, while automotive, in general, is slower to change.
As part of the project, Speck dug deeply into the psyche of luxury car owners. We sought to understand current luxury car owners' needs, behaviors, and motivations in relation to automotive technology and media. We explored multiple design languages, recognizing that there was no one-size-fits-all design solution for Mercedes drivers. We also spent time thinking about the mechanics, benefits, and disadvantages of the module placement in the vehicle: glove box, center console, or sun visor. Ultimately, we settled on the glovebox.
Our research focused on the values of beauty and perceptions of personal security, guiding us to a solution that ultimately meshed an elegant design language with an optimal module placement within the vehicle's interior. By choosing the glovebox for the module, our team was able to offer luxury car owners more security as well as the quality associated with the Mercedes name. This thoughtful placement reduced the risk of spills or breakage due to the infrequent access of this area of the vehicle while still making the module easily accessible.
