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Blue Guardian - Safer car navigation in severe weather

Safer car navigation with Blue Guardian

12 min read

Overview

Imagine you're driving home on a stormy Michigan night with your hands jammed onto the steering wheel and the wipers on full speed, but you can barely see five feet ahead. Should you pull over? Keep going? Your GPS doesn't care. It's still optimizing for the fastest route, oblivious to the fact that "fastest" might mean "most dangerous".

This isn't a hypothetical. For 80% of the drivers we surveyed, this is their reality multiple times each winter. I set out to develop a solution to help drivers navigate safely in severe weather conditions, especially when driving alone.

Role

UX Researcher & Design Lead

I led the research and design efforts for this project, focusing on user needs and accessibility.

Timeline

Jan 2025 - May 2025 (4 months)

Team

Reuben Crasto

UX Designer

Emma Zhang

PM

Junhee Chung

PM

Summer Huang

Content Designer

Skills

Problem Framing, Mixed Methods Research, Cross-functional Collaboration, Accessibility Design, Design Systems, Stakeholder Communication

My Contributions

As a UX Researcher, I...

  • Conducted semi-structured interviews with 1 driver
  • Led market research and competitive analysis to identify opportunities for Hyundai
  • Synthesized quantitative survey data (55+ responses) with qualitative insights
  • Developed accessibility heuristics for automotive interface design

As a Design Lead, I...

  • Built a comprehensive design system using Figma variables and modes
  • Created high-fidelity prototypes for both IVIIVI (In-Vehicle Infotainment) and ICIC (Instrument Cluster) screens
  • Facilitated usability testing sessions and synthesized findings
  • Presented findings to Hyundai stakeholders

Outcome/Impact

00

Average SUSSUS (System Usability Scale) Score (Out of 101)

00%

Of the participants would use Blue Guardian

Group approving the product Blue Guardian

Addresses needs of drivers aged 18-65+ through personalization

Group approving the product Blue Guardian

Creates competitive advantage in markets with severe weather

Background

Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) focuses on creating a future where mobility is accessible to all, and where vehicles are designed around the needs of people. As part of this mission, HMG is exploring how AI can be used to enhance driver safety and confidence in critical scenarios, looking ahead to 5 years or more in the future. Using AI to enhance safety was a broad question; it could go in many directions – from in-car mechanical errors to automated driving. Our team of five focused on identifying a single scenario where AI could make a meaningful difference.

The Real Problem

Quotes from interviews
Through interviews with 9 frequent drivers in Michigan and surveys from 55+ respondents, we discovered patterns of drivers feeling highly unsafe and uncertain during severe rain and snow. With these insights, we reframed our problem statement to below. However, another critical problem emerged from our research: drivers do not trust AI; they do not want AI to assist them in critical conditions. So, how did we solve for this?

How can Hyundai vehicles leverage AI to help drivers navigate unfamiliar routes safely in severe weather when driving alone?

This project is under NDA

This project is currently under a non-disclosure agreement. I'd be happy to share the password – just send me an email!

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Reflection

Accessibility Drives Innovation

The generational divide I discovered led to our most innovative feature. Designing for the needs of a 22-year-old AND a 65-year-old made the system better for everyone in between.

What You Call It Matters

Removing the word "AI" from our interface increased trust dramatically. Users don't care about the technology, they care about what it does for them and whether they can trust it.

Don't be afraid to pivot

Initially the primary and secondary research findings were leading us to an uncertain place. Without hesitation, I pitched reconsidering more research to validate our direction. This led to a more focused problem statement and a more successful solution.
Presented results to HATCI team

Presented results to HATCI team in Irvine, California

Presented results at UMSI Expo

Presented results at the UMSI Expo

Résuméhttps://madebynikesh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/documents/Kumar_Nikesh_Resume.pdf
https://www.behance.net/nikeplusdash
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikesh-kumar/
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