AutoShuttle
An autonomous shuttle and app solution designed to seamlessly connect employees across large campuses, offering smart, efficient, and user-friendly short-distance commutes
Timeline
October 2023 - Mar 2024
Device
HMI, App
Team
Qisen Pan, Yilin Li, Drif Dong, Shuyao Xiao, Moni Huang
Responsbility
UX research, Wireframe, Design Iteration, Mid-fi Mockup, Hi-fi Mockup, Prototyping
Problem
Companies like Microsoft face high costs and inefficiencies in transporting employees between office buildings.
Solution
Employees can reserve a vehicle through the app and board by swiping their employee ID card. Once on board, employees can independently operate the HMI interface to navigate to their destination.
Background
Everyday, employees frequently commute to other buildings within Microsoft campus to attend meetings or trying different cafeterias.
📈 People find the services unavailable during peak hours.
However,…
🛬 Tracking of the shuttle does not always work, which makes it hard to tell when the shuttle will arrive.
⏰ On-time is the first priority people care about.
Our Design Question
How can we streamline the process for Microsoft employees to quickly book and board a shuttle for efficient transport between office buildings, and enjoy comfort and trust during the riding?
An autonomous shuttle service allowing employees to book rides in advance via an app, share trips with colleagues, and enjoy comfortable entertainment along with real-time tracking through the HMI system.
📱 Book the shuttle and track the shuttle on the app efficiently
🧑🧒🧒 Option to take a single ride or share rides with others
🦺 Safe onboarding process by swiping company badge and confirming safety instructions
📺 Interactive HMI system to provide entertainment and real-time tracking to destination
Solution We Offer
We interviewed 4 Microsoft employees to know about their experiences in booking the shuttles and riding the shuttle to commute between buildings or homes.
but wait, how did we get there?
User Research - Interview
Jiayuan, Software Developer, 26
"Assuming the shuttle will arrive on time and there are enough of them, I would like the shuttle to provide transportation for my commute."
"Tracking of the shuttle does not always work, sometimes it is hard to tell when the shuttle will arrive."
Kevin, Software Engineer, 28
"I commute between two buildings bc I'm tired of the cafeteria in this office building. I want to switch to a different cafeteria for a change of taste."
"The most essential requirement for short-distance office commuting is still the rapid arrival at the destination."
Saravanan, Cloud Migration, 53
"I utilize these shuttles for my daily commute between home and the office, as well as for moving between different buildings throughout the day."
"The least I like about the services: the crowdedness at peak hours, and occasional and limited flexibility."
Jonathan, Hardware Engineer, 25
"If a lot of people are using the shuttle service, and it always got fully occupied. If I don’t own a car, I will feel less stress when I am sure there is a seat guaranteed on the shuttle for me."
"I like the shuttle because I can work on the shuttle instead of wasting time in traffic"
Empathize with the users
User Persona
After our in-depth interviews with 4 users, we summarized into a persona to better understand their needs when using shuttles to commute.
Map out the whole process
User Journey Map
According to our interviews, we constructed the user journey map to better understand users' feelings and experiences from using the Microsoft "My Hub" to book shuttles to arriving their destinations. It provides us with a few opportunities to frame our design questions.
Based on our user research
User Pain Points
After conducting the user research, we found that our users are experiencing these pain points…
🤷🏻♂️ Unavailable shuttles during peak hours, causing inconvenience.
⛓️💥 Limited flexibility of the shuttle to provide services at any time.
📍 Unable to track the shuttle and navigate the location.
⏳ Uncertainty of the shuttle to pick up and arrive on time.
How can we solve their pain points
Brainstorm
These user points provide us essential insights to brainstorm for possible solutions.
We finally comes up with an emerging technology that can transform the transportation methods:
Autonomous Vehicles 🚗
Increased Availability and Scalability: Autonomous shuttles can operate continuously without the limitations of driver availability, ensuring sufficient coverage even during peak hours.
On-Demand Flexibility: With advanced routing algorithms, autonomous shuttles can be programmed to provide dynamic, on-demand pick-up and drop-off services, addressing user concerns about flexibility.
Enhanced Punctuality: Autonomous systems can optimize routes using real-time traffic and scheduling data, ensuring timely arrivals and minimizing delays for users.
Cost Efficiency and Sustainability: Autonomous shuttles cut costs by removing driver needs and optimizing energy use, while electric or hybrid models reduce emissions, supporting campus sustainability.
Improved User Experience: Features like precise scheduling, comfortable rides, and seamless app integration for booking and tracking add convenience and enhance the commuting experience for users.
Why Autonomous Shuttles?
To get better senses of autonomous vehicles' riding experiences
Competitive Analysis
We conducted a competitor analysis of existing autonomous transportation solutions, closely examining user experiences at every stage of their journey.
AutoShuttles
Opportunities
🧏🏻 Efficient Booking Process
The booking process should be streamlined and optimized for efficiency and convenience.
🎡 Passenger Confirmation
To ensure that the passenger get on the right autonomous shuttle, the confirmation method should be easy and safe, such as company badge.
💬 Safety Instructions and Emergency informed
To ensure the riding process safe, there should be clear instructions about safety and emergency situations before riding.
🥰 Tracking and Notifications Systems
When riding, the passenger can check the status and location through the tracking system, and when it is having some big turns, obstacle avoidance, or arriving the destination, there should be notifications.
Frame our Design Questions
How Might We…
HMW enable users to unlock boarding on a self-driving shuttle?
HMW ensure that shuttles are available and can promptly appear when users need them?
HMW enable passengers to continuously know the time and distance to their destination while riding a self-driving shuttle?
HMW increase user trust and willingness to use self-driving shuttles?
HMW provide immediate solutions for users facing emergencies or unexpected situations while riding autonomous shuttle?
HMW inform the users about when the car will be arrived and where is the car located?
HMW ensure that the passenger get on to the car with the correct passenger information?
HMW inform the users about the driving decisions made by the self-driving shuttles?
HMW supplement users’ needs in work or life during the riding?
HMW optimize the route-planning algorithm to ensure efficient pickup and drop-off points for self-driving shuttles?
HMW implement real-time updates to keep passengers informed about the shuttle status and emergent situations?
HMW make the booking process efficient for users?
From Inspirations…
Ideation!
An Autonomous Driving Shuttle Experience from booking to arriving, supported by a mobile app for booking and tracking and an HMI system for riding safety and entertainment.
To map out our product features
User Flow
As we have brainstormed for a few features to solve the pain points found in user research, we organized the features into a user flow in order to get a better sense about whole processes and user experiences when booking a shuttle, getting on board, and arriving to destinations.
Mobile App - Booking A Shuttle
HMI System - Riding Experience
Sketch out the layout
Wireframes & Mid-Fi
Based on the user flows, we sketched out the main screens as follows:
Mobile App for Booking
2D Map View for Tracking Status
Music Interface
3D Map View for Supervising Autonomous Driving
Visualize our imaginations
High-Fidelity - Final Design
We crafted on the details for each functions and pages in order to make the visual style consistent and pleasant for users to experience the AutoShuttles.
