Strategy Analytics has a new report that has identified that personalisation of in-car displays can be a signficant differentiator for consumers in the US, Western Europe and China. The interest in displays has been generated as consumers have enjoyed the customisation of their smartphones.
Key report findings include:
- As touchscreen-enabled smartphones complete their market saturation, and touch-enabled smart devices spread through the home and retail spaces, Strategy Analytics has found changes in the way consumers (particularly tech enthusiasts and early adopters) think about their in-car experiences. Predictably, more consumers are saying that they want their in-car display to behave like a smartphone.
- As automakers strive to differentiate their HMI, personalisation provides added value that has thus far remained untapped. Careful implementation is required however to ensure this is accomplished in a practical and usable way.
Derek Viita, report author and Senior Analyst commented,
“But as any product manager in the automotive space will attest: A car is not a smartphone. As long as a human remains in the loop, design considerations for the car will remain far different. Customized displays, though desirable, present some challenges in this unique use case where distraction must be taken into account. Background images must not wash out iconography, touch targets, or labeling. A user must be limited to a reasonably low number of options on each screen.”
Chris Schreiner, Director, Syndicated Research UXIP added
“However HMI, particularly for infotainment, is an area that can be quickly and easily innovated upon. If done correctly, through a conscientious effort to put the target consumer first in building safe, usable, and delightful UIs, customizable in-car displays could be low-hanging fruit for a forward-thinking interior design team.”
Analyst Comment
Strategy Analytics has previously reported that smartphone mirroring is a feature that has seen very strong interest and many consumers regard the feature as a ‘must have’.
Apple’s CarPlay is one of the systems that could be used for customisation and mirroring. Image:Apple
