Next-gen HMI for a New Market Rollout

Client: SAIC MG 2019 | Design Team: 6 designers | Role: Product Designer

Car HMI

Kanzi

Situation

MG needed a new design language for the production launch of its cars in September 2019. The interface should be intuitive and strengthen consumers’ emotional relationship with the vehicle and the MG brand. The new design should harmonise with the MG brand’s visual design, which is present across the entire MG product line globally. We also couldn't change the dashboard hardware or the assembly lines.

Task

As Product Designer in a team of six at SAIC, we had five months to deliver a new in-car screen interface (HMI), a visual design system and developer specifications.

Action

Putting safety first

The Conflict: Drivers wanted rich digital features, but deep touch menus take eyes off the road, creating safety risks.

The Decision: Built a 3-tier menu structure—essential driving data stays permanently visible, frequent controls use large fixed touch zones, and complex settings lock while driving. Deep menus were replaced with quick widgets and voice controls.

Exploring options

As a team, we created six design directions and three interaction concepts.

Prototype testing

Testing took place on site with drivers from Thailand, so I supported it remotely: I prepared the test scenarios beforehand based on the user journey mappings and processed the feedback afterwards, turning it into changes to the designs.

A flexible layout

We built an adaptable grid, so simple widgets such as weather can expand to full screen, while complex features such as settings use a familiar sidebar. This kept navigation predictable and made it quicker for new drivers to learn.

We built a flexible HMI design system and component library that could adjust dynamically across left- and right-hand-drive layouts and different aspect ratios across the MG product line.

A component library built around the hardware

We’ve created a library that works across different screen sizes, in left- and right-hand-drive cars, and within the existing display's rendering limits, while keeping transitions smooth.

Documentation for handover

I authored 100+ pages of the 200+ page documentation, covering design principles, language and interaction patterns to keep the system consistent for developers and future designers. I then assembled core screens in Kanzi for a consistent handover.

Result

Impact

New HMI design to be implemented across all MG product lines, including in the European market

Winner of a 2021 A’Design Award

We delivered on time for the September 2019 launch

MG Cars with new HMI design are now on the road in India and Thailand

Next-gen HMI for a New Market Rollout

Client: SAIC MG 2019 | Design Team: 6 designers | Role: Product Designer

Car HMI

Kanzi

Situation

MG needed a new design language for the production launch of its cars in September 2019. The interface should be intuitive and strengthen consumers’ emotional relationship with the vehicle and the MG brand. The new design should harmonise with the MG brand’s visual design, which is present across the entire MG product line globally. We also couldn't change the dashboard hardware or the assembly lines.

Task

As Product Designer in a team of six at SAIC, we had five months to deliver a new in-car screen interface (HMI), a visual design system and developer specifications.

Action

Putting safety first

The Conflict: Drivers wanted rich digital features, but deep touch menus take eyes off the road, creating safety risks.

The Decision: Built a 3-tier menu structure—essential driving data stays permanently visible, frequent controls use large fixed touch zones, and complex settings lock while driving. Deep menus were replaced with quick widgets and voice controls.

Exploring options

As a team, we created six design directions and three interaction concepts.

Prototype testing

Testing took place on site with drivers from Thailand, so I supported it remotely: I prepared the test scenarios beforehand based on the user journey mappings and processed the feedback afterwards, turning it into changes to the designs.

A flexible layout

We built an adaptable grid, so simple widgets such as weather can expand to full screen, while complex features such as settings use a familiar sidebar. This kept navigation predictable and made it quicker for new drivers to learn.

We built a flexible HMI design system and component library that could adjust dynamically across left- and right-hand-drive layouts and different aspect ratios across the MG product line.

A component library built around the hardware

We’ve created a library that works across different screen sizes, in left- and right-hand-drive cars, and within the existing display's rendering limits, while keeping transitions smooth.

Documentation for handover

I authored 100+ pages of the 200+ page documentation, covering design principles, language and interaction patterns to keep the system consistent for developers and future designers. I then assembled core screens in Kanzi for a consistent handover.

Result

Impact

New HMI design to be implemented across all MG product lines, including in the European market

Winner of a 2021 A’Design Award

We delivered on time for the September 2019 launch

MG Cars with new HMI design are now on the road in India and Thailand

Next-gen HMI for a New Market Rollout

Client: SAIC MG 2019 | Design Team: 6 designers | Role: Product Designer

Car HMI

Kanzi

Situation

MG needed a new design language for the production launch of its cars in September 2019. The interface should be intuitive and strengthen consumers’ emotional relationship with the vehicle and the MG brand. The new design should harmonise with the MG brand’s visual design, which is present across the entire MG product line globally. We also couldn't change the dashboard hardware or the assembly lines.

Task

As Product Designer in a team of six at SAIC, we had five months to deliver a new in-car screen interface (HMI), a visual design system and developer specifications.

Action

Putting safety first

The Conflict: Drivers wanted rich digital features, but deep touch menus take eyes off the road, creating safety risks.

The Decision: Built a 3-tier menu structure—essential driving data stays permanently visible, frequent controls use large fixed touch zones, and complex settings lock while driving. Deep menus were replaced with quick widgets and voice controls.

Exploring options

As a team, we developed three interaction concepts and six design directions, validated with MG stakeholders.

Prototype testing

Testing took place on site with drivers from Thailand, so I supported it remotely: I prepared the test scenarios beforehand based on the user journey mappings and processed the feedback afterwards, turning it into changes to the designs.

A flexible layout

We built an adaptable grid, so simple widgets such as weather can expand to full screen, while complex features such as settings use a familiar sidebar. This kept navigation predictable and made it quicker for new drivers to learn.

We built a flexible HMI design system and component library that could adjust dynamically across left- and right-hand-drive layouts and different aspect ratios across the MG product line.

A component library built around the hardware

We’ve created a library that works across different screen sizes, in left- and right-hand-drive cars, and within the existing display's rendering limits, while keeping transitions smooth.

Documentation for handover

I authored 100+ pages of the 200+ page documentation, covering design principles, language and interaction patterns to keep the system consistent for developers and future designers. I then assembled core screens in Kanzi for a consistent handover.

Result

Impact

Winner of a 2021 A’Design Award

We delivered on time for the September 2019 launch

New HMI design to be implemented across all MG product lines, including in the European market

MG Cars with new HMI design are now on the road in India and Thailand