vehicle Infotainment
Harman International
CES 2020
For the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Harman and Samsung partnered to develop a conceptual infotainment system for the Smart Fortwo vehicle. The goal was to showcase an innovative infotainment system that aligned with Harman's vision for connected mobility in small, affordable vehicles like the Smart Fortwo. The resulting concept, VisionNext, was a fully functional prototype displayed live at CES 2020. I contributed to the UX/UI design, branding elements, and prototyping.
The Challenge
Harman needed a high-impact, forward-looking infotainment system that would:
- Align with Harman and Samsung's innovation goals
- Reflect the Smart Fortwo's unique design language
- Run on a real-time prototype built under tight deadlines
- Be visually compelling on the CES show floor
This project required rapid iteration, cross-functional collaboration, and physical prototyping to create a seamless digital and hardware experience.
Prototyping & Testing
Unlike consumer-facing infotainment design, VisionNext was created for an event environment, where it would be used by many different guests and be demoed to audiences. The design needed to be intuitive, touch-friendly, and instantly impressive — especially in a fast-moving show environment.
Target Audience
CES Attendees, Automotive industry leaders, Press and media
Design Exploration
Review the original interior and study its design and materials
User Testing
Analyzing user interaction patterns for small electric city cars
3D Printed Prototype
Fully Functional Prototype
Different Color Themes
Home Page in Red Color Theme
Final Working Prototype for CES 2020
The Smart Fortwo features hexagon tessellations in its interior design (air vents, speaker grilles, panel geometry). We used this signature shape as a foundation for the VisionNext interface, incorporating it into icon styles, button shapes, and background patterns. This design approach created a visual bridge between the digital UI and the physical vehicle environment.
My role as a visual designer included creating iconography, establishing color palettes that felt fun and matched the energy of the Smart Fortwo, and UI mock-ups including the keyboard.