THESIS PROJECT
AUTOMOTIVE UX
field research
From the Field to the Dashboard
Researching and designing for a two-wheeler EV HMI for rural India
This case study is built on two peer-reviewed papers I co-authored and published at international design conferences - one in 2024, one in 2025.
The work began as a 4-month field study across rural India and spanned 1.5 years in total, culminating in six UI design principles for EV dashboards that could meaningfully support adoption in rural contexts.
ROLE
Primary Researcher
TIMELINE
2023 – 2025
Methods
Qual. interviews
Field observation
Participatory co-design
Survey (quantitative)
Institution
INDReA Lab,
Department of Design,
IIT Hyderabad
THESIS PROJECT
AUTOMOTIVE UX
field research
From the Field to the Dashboard
From the Field to the Dashboard
Researching and designing for a two-wheeler EV HMI for rural India
Researching and designing for a two-wheeler EV HMI for rural India
This case study is built on two peer-reviewed papers I co-authored and published at international design conferences - one in 2024, one in 2025.
The work began as a 4-month field study across rural India and spanned 1.5 years in total, culminating in six UI design principles for EV dashboards that could meaningfully support adoption in rural contexts.
ROLE
Primary researcher
Primary Researcher
Methods
Qual. interviews
Field observation
Participatory co-design
Survey (quantitative)
TIMELINE
2023 – 2025
Institution
INDReA Lab,
Department of Design,
IIT Hyderabad
INDReA Lab,
Department of Design,
IIT Hyderabad
Gist
The work began with a question that seemed straightforward:
The work began with a question that seemed straightforward:
Why is rural India so far behind in EV adoption?
Why is rural India so far behind in EV adoption?
India's electric vehicle transition is being designed for 35% of its population. 65% of Indians live in rural areas, yet nearly all EV infrastructure, policy communication, and product design has been built around urban users.
Before entering the field, this research held a working hypothesis consistent with that gap:
India's electric vehicle transition is being designed for 35% of its population. 65% of Indians live in rural areas, yet nearly all EV infrastructure, policy communication, and product design has been built around urban users.
Before entering the field, this research held a working hypothesis consistent with that gap:
Hypothesis: The rural consumers were simply not ready to adopt EVs
Hypothesis: The rural consumers were simply not ready to adopt EVs
That hypothesis did not survive contact with the data.
What the research found was something more interesting than a straightforward refutation.
That hypothesis did not survive contact with the data.
What the research found was something more interesting than a straightforward refutation.
Rural Indians weren't unready - they were enthusiastic, informed, and willing. In our findings, 88.5% were excited about new technology. 91.8% called EVs innovative.
Rural Indians weren't unready - they were enthusiastic, informed, and willing. In our findings, 88.5% were excited about new technology. 91.8% called EVs innovative.
The gap wasn't in the market. It was in the design:
The gap wasn't in the market. It was in the design:
Rural folks lacked a product and an interface that gave them genuine reason to trust what they were buying.
Rural folks lacked a product and an interface that gave them genuine reason to trust what they were buying.
Disproving the original hypothesis didn't close the research - it opened a more precise question. If readiness isn't the barrier, what is? And can design answer it?
Rural Indians were enthusiastic about EVs. What they lacked was a reason to trust them. And one of the most concrete, solvable expressions of that trust deficit turned out to be the HMI dashboard -
Disproving the original hypothesis didn't close the research - it opened a more precise question. If readiness isn't the barrier, what is? And can design answer it?
Rural Indians were enthusiastic about EVs. What they lacked was a reason to trust them. And one of the most concrete, solvable expressions of that trust deficit turned out to be the HMI dashboard -
HMI Dashboard / Instrument Cluster:
The first thing a rider sees when they start their vehicle, and the thing that either reassures them or doesn't.
HMI Dashboard / Instrument Cluster:
The first thing a rider sees when they start their vehicle, and the thing that either reassures them or doesn't.
Two Acts, Two Papers
Act 1 — Discover
Act 1 — Discover
Published 2024
Published 2024
Driving sustainable mobility: a study of electric vehicle adoption in rural India
Driving sustainable mobility: a study of electric vehicle adoption in rural India
A field study across 8 villages in 6 states exploring the attitudes, barriers, and unmet needs of rural EV consumers. The research that built the case - and revealed the trust gap.
A field study across 8 villages in 6 states exploring the attitudes, barriers, and unmet needs of rural EV consumers. The research that built the case - and revealed the trust gap.
DESIGN 2024: 18th International Design Conference · Cavtat, Croatia
with Aniruddh Satpute & Prasad Onkar
DESIGN 2024: 18th International Design Conference · Cavtat, Croatia
with Aniruddh Satpute & Prasad Onkar
Act 2 — Design
Act 2 — Design
Published 2025
Published 2025
Co-designing EV dashboards for rural India: a participatory approach
Co-designing EV dashboards for rural India: a participatory approach
A co-design study in Hamayupur village, Haryana, translating research insights into an HMI dashboard for two-wheeler EVs - addressing literacy, language, and range anxiety.
A co-design study in Hamayupur village, Haryana, translating research insights into an HMI dashboard for two-wheeler EVs - addressing literacy, language, and range anxiety.
ServDes 2025 · Hyderabad, India
with Prasad Onkar
ServDes 2025 · Hyderabad, India
with Prasad Onkar
01 — Hook
65% of India is rural. Nearly all EV design, infrastructure, and policy has been built for the other 35%.
Act 1 · Discover
Act 2 · Design
05 — Design challenge + Secondary Research 2.0
HMI for rural two-wheeler EV users: literacy gaps, language diversity, range anxiety, monsoon roads.
02 — Research intent + Secondary Research
Why study rural consumers? What were you actually trying to discover or change?
06 — Co-design process
Hamayupur, March 2024 · ethnographic interviews · 6 design principles
03 — Field study
61 participants · 8 villages · 6 states · qual. interviews + field observation · Sept 2023
07 — design · Trust journey map · screens
Ride · Alerts · Charging · Load-aware ride · Road Hazard Alert - adaptive dark/light, local language
04 — Key findings
Attitudes, barriers, unmet needs - the data that shapes the design direction
Future iteration · LiDAR road hazard detection
Crowdsourced alerts now · hardware integration when unit costs reach ~₹5,000
the research becomes the design brief
Section 01 — Hook
India is the world's largest two-wheeler market. As the country accelerates its electric vehicle transition, most EV design, infrastructure, and policy has been built around urban India:
The cities where charging stations are clustered, service centers are accessible, and users are digitally fluent. Rural India, home to nearly 65% of the population, has been almost entirely left out of this picture.
India is the world's largest two-wheeler market. As the country accelerates its electric vehicle transition, most EV design, infrastructure, and policy has been built around urban India:
The cities where charging stations are clustered, service centers are accessible, and users are digitally fluent. Rural India, home to nearly 65% of the population, has been almost entirely left out of this picture.
The assumption has long been that rural consumers aren't ready for EVs. This research set out to test that assumption - and found it was wrong.
The assumption has long been that rural consumers aren't ready for EVs. This research set out to test that assumption - and found it was wrong.
Section 02 — Research intent + Secondary Research
The question wasn't whether rural Indians wanted EVs.
The question wasn't whether rural Indians wanted EVs.
It was what was actually stopping them - and whether those barriers were behavioral, infrastructural, or something more nuanced?
It was what was actually stopping them - and whether those barriers were behavioral, infrastructural, or something more nuanced?
Understanding this required going to where these users lived, not surveying them from a distance. The research spanned two phases over two years.
Understanding this required going to where these users lived, not surveying them from a distance. The research spanned two phases over two years.
Phase 1: a quantitative and qualitative field study across eight villages in six states - mapped the landscape of attitudes, desires, and anxieties.
Phase 1: a quantitative and qualitative field study across eight villages in six states - mapped the landscape of attitudes, desires, and anxieties.
Phase 2: translated those findings into HMI design principles for two-wheeler EV rider displays, developed through participatory co-design sessions with rural users.
Phase 2: translated those findings into HMI design principles for two-wheeler EV rider displays, developed through participatory co-design sessions with rural users.
The scope was a deliberate choice, not an arbitrary one: two-wheelers are already the dominant vehicle type in rural India, and the data bears out that they are leading India's EV transition - electric two-wheelers made up 59% of all EVs sold in India in 2024, and projections place them at 60–70% of new vehicle sales by 2030.
The scope was a deliberate choice, not an arbitrary one: two-wheelers are already the dominant vehicle type in rural India, and the data bears out that they are leading India's EV transition - electric two-wheelers made up 59% of all EVs sold in India in 2024, and projections place them at 60–70% of new vehicle sales by 2030.
In rural contexts where affordability and road conditions both favour two-wheelers over four-wheelers, designing for this vehicle type first is designing for where adoption is actually happening.
In rural contexts where affordability and road conditions both favour two-wheelers over four-wheelers, designing for this vehicle type first is designing for where adoption is actually happening.
Secondary Research
The literature review situated the study within a global body of EV adoption research, drawing primarily on Indian and Asian consumer behaviour studies. Key findings:
The literature review situated the study within a global body of EV adoption research, drawing primarily on Indian and Asian consumer behaviour studies. Key findings:
Urban bias in existing research
Urban bias in existing research
Rural India was invisible in EV adoption studies
Rural India was invisible in EV adoption studies
Prior Indian EV studies focused almost entirely on Bengaluru, Delhi, and Jaipur. Rural markets - the majority of India's population were largely unstudied.
Prior Indian EV studies focused almost entirely on Bengaluru, Delhi, and Jaipur. Rural markets - the majority of India's population were largely unstudied.
Prior Indian EV studies focused almost entirely on Bengaluru, Delhi, and Jaipur. Rural markets - the majority of India's population were largely unstudied.
Verma et al., 2020 · Jain et al., 2022
Verma et al., 2020 · Jain et al., 2022
Verma et al., 2020 · Jain et al., 2022
Adoption frameworks
Adoption frameworks
Urban-derived barriers don't map to rural reality
Urban-derived barriers don't map to rural reality
Urban-derived barriers don't map to rural reality
Global frameworks (UTAUT, TAM) identified cost, range anxiety, and charging infrastructure as key barriers - but none were tested against rural Indian conditions.
Global frameworks (UTAUT, TAM) identified cost, range anxiety, and charging infrastructure as key barriers - but none were tested against rural Indian conditions.
Kumar & Alok, 2020 · Li et al., 2017
Kumar & Alok, 2020 · Li et al., 2017
Kumar & Alok, 2020 · Li et al., 2017
Emerging market behaviour
Emerging market behaviour
Perceived risk outweighs cost in price-sensitive markets
Perceived risk outweighs cost in price-sensitive markets
Studies from Malaysia, China, and Spain found that unfamiliarity and perceived risk were stronger deterrents than price alone - a pattern this research tested in rural India.
Studies from Malaysia, China, and Spain found that unfamiliarity and perceived risk were stronger deterrents than price alone - a pattern this research tested in rural India.
Afroz et al., 2015 · Junquera et al., 2016
Afroz et al., 2015 · Junquera et al., 2016
Afroz et al., 2015 · Junquera et al., 2016
Policy context
Policy context
India's EV policy was structurally urban-facing
India's EV policy was structurally urban-facing
India's EV policy was structurally urban-facing
FAME-II subsidies and charging infrastructure were concentrated in cities. Government data confirmed rural India was not the intended beneficiary of existing schemes.
FAME-II subsidies and charging infrastructure were concentrated in cities. Government data confirmed rural India was not the intended beneficiary of existing schemes.
Economic Survey 2022–23 · Ministry of Heavy Industries
Economic Survey 2022–23 · Ministry of Heavy Industries
Resale value
Resale value
An underexplored barrier in price-sensitive contexts
An underexplored barrier in price-sensitive contexts
An underexplored barrier in price-sensitive contexts
Literature identified resale value as a significant but understudied purchase factor in emerging markets. This study tested it directly - 57.4% of participants rated it very important.
Literature identified resale value as a significant but understudied purchase factor in emerging markets. This study tested it directly - 57.4% of participants rated it very important.
Shankar & Kumari, 2019 · Tunçel, 2022
Shankar & Kumari, 2019 · Tunçel, 2022
Shankar & Kumari, 2019 · Tunçel, 2022
Brand trust
Brand trust
Trust in manufacturer matters more than product features
Trust in manufacturer matters more than product features
Across multiple studies, consumers in emerging markets showed stronger intent to purchase EVs from established, trusted brands - consistent with field remarks across all eight villages.
Across multiple studies, consumers in emerging markets showed stronger intent to purchase EVs from established, trusted brands - consistent with field remarks across all eight villages.
Bhattacharyya & Thakre, 2020 · Khurana et al., 2020
Bhattacharyya & Thakre, 2020 · Khurana et al., 2020
Section 03 — Field study
Villages were selected to represent geographic, linguistic, and infrastructural diversity - some near highways with consistent power supply, others more remote with irregular grid access.
Villages were selected to represent geographic, linguistic, and infrastructural diversity - some near highways with consistent power supply, others more remote with irregular grid access.
Research was conducted as structured qualitative interviews with field observation, voice recordings, and observation notes.
The structured questionnaire was based on the key findings from the secondary research and covered 24 questions across five themes:
Research was conducted as structured qualitative interviews with field observation, voice recordings, and observation notes.
The structured questionnaire was based on the key findings from the secondary research and covered 24 questions across five themes:
Openness to new technology
Openness to new technology
Perceptions of electric vehicles as innovative and modern
Perceptions of electric vehicles as innovative and modern
Attitude towards sustainability and environmental impact
Attitude towards sustainability and environmental impact
Practical concerns around cost, performance, and convenience
Practical concerns around cost, performance, and convenience
Openness to new technology
Openness to new technology
Responses were collected on Likert scales alongside open-ended remarks, with voice recordings and field observations capturing context that structured responses alone couldn't surface.
Responses were collected on Likert scales alongside open-ended remarks, with voice recordings and field observations capturing context that structured responses alone couldn't surface.
61
61
Participants; M = 52, F = 9
Participants; M = 52, F = 9
8
8
villages
villages
6
6
states
states
33.4 years
33.4 years
Average age of participants
participants Average age
KARNATAKA
KARNATAKA
Gundlupete
Gundlupete
n = 9
KARNATAKA
KARNATAKA
Alanahalli
Alanahalli
n = 6
Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Badlapur
Badlapur
n = 6
Haryana
Haryana
Mattewali
Mattewali
n = 8
PUNJAB
PUNJAB
Gharuan
Gharuan
n = 7
Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Sinodia
Sinodia
n = 9
Bihar
Bihar
Chorauan
Chorauan
n = 9
Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Tumbaguttu
Tumbaguttu
n = 7
Section 04 — Key findings: the aspiration-adoption paradox
The data revealed a striking contradiction that would become the emotional core of the entire design brief.
Rural participants were enthusiastic about EVs as a concept -
The data revealed a striking contradiction that would become the emotional core of the entire design brief.
Rural participants were enthusiastic about EVs as a concept -
88.5% were excited about adopting new technology.
88.5% were excited about adopting new technology.
91.8% called EVs innovative.
91.8% called EVs innovative.
85.2% believed they had great potential.
85.2% believed they had great potential.
Yet when the question shifted from opinion to adoption intent, that confidence evaporated.
Yet when the question shifted from opinion to adoption intent, that confidence evaporated.
Only 49.2% felt EVs were actually trustworthy.
Only 49.2% felt EVs were actually trustworthy.
Just 24.6% would buy one even if priced competitively with petrol vehicles.
Just 24.6% would buy one even if priced competitively with petrol vehicles.
The qualitative data explained why. Across all eight villages, three anxieties surfaced consistently:
The qualitative data explained why. Across all eight villages, three anxieties surfaced consistently:
Battery trust : fear of malfunction, fire, unreliable range readouts
Battery trust : fear of malfunction, fire, unreliable range readouts
Infrastructure gaps : Lack of chargers, swapping stations etc.
Infrastructure gaps : Lack of chargers, swapping stations etc.
Service scarcity : Across villages, the nearest EV service centre was often 10–15km away, with no local mechanics trained for EVs.
Service scarcity : Across villages, the nearest EV service centre was often 10–15km away, with no local mechanics trained for EVs.
One participant had actively considered buying an EV but held off because “the battery display felt inaccurate”.
Another described range anxiety as a "cognitive load" - the stress of planning every trip around a number they couldn't fully trust.
One participant had actively considered buying an EV but held off because “the battery display felt inaccurate”.
Another described range anxiety as a "cognitive load" - the stress of planning every trip around a number they couldn't fully trust.
Alongside these anxieties, the field study also surfaced something else:
Alongside these anxieties, the field study also surfaced something else:
Widespread, confident smartphone use across all eight villages.
Widespread, confident smartphone use across all eight villages.
This would prove to be a significant design enabler - rural users weren't unfamiliar with digital interfaces, they were unfamiliar with digital interfaces that felt designed for them.
This would prove to be a significant design enabler - rural users weren't unfamiliar with digital interfaces, they were unfamiliar with digital interfaces that felt designed for them.
This gave the research a precise, actionable insight:
This gave the research a precise, actionable insight:
The adoption barrier wasn't just cost or infrastructure. It was legibility. Rural riders didn't trust what the vehicle was telling them.
The adoption barrier wasn't just cost or infrastructure. It was legibility. Rural riders didn't trust what the vehicle was telling them.
Section 05 — Design challenge + Secondary Research 2.0
The second phase of research asked:
The second phase of research asked:
If the first thing a rider sees when they start their EV is the instrument cluster, can better design build the trust that marketing and policy haven't?
If the first thing a rider sees when they start their EV is the instrument cluster, can better design build the trust that marketing and policy haven't?
The challenge was specific. Designing a rider display for rural two-wheeler EV users meant designing for:
The challenge was specific. Designing a rider display for rural two-wheeler EV users meant designing for:
Variable literacy levels across Hindi, Kannada, Punjabi, Marathi, and other regional languages.
Variable literacy levels across Hindi, Kannada, Punjabi, Marathi, and other regional languages.
Users unfamiliar with digital UI conventions beyond their smartphone.
Users unfamiliar with digital UI conventions beyond their smartphone.
Users that regularly use 2Ws to carry agricultural produce, cylinders and market goods wall beyond urban load norms.
Users that regularly use 2Ws to carry agricultural produce, cylinders and market goods wall beyond urban load norms.
Roads that are unmetalled and flood-prone.
Roads that are unmetalled and flood-prone.
A deep, legitimate fear of getting stranded mid-ride without charge or help.
A deep, legitimate fear of getting stranded mid-ride without charge or help.
Crucially, users weren't asking for less technology.
Crucially, users weren't asking for less technology.
They wanted more legible technology.
They wanted more legible technology.
They liked colourful TFT displays. They were comfortable with English but wanted notifications in their local language. They compared ideal EV dashboards to their phone interface - familiar, glanceable, responsive.
They liked colourful TFT displays. They were comfortable with English but wanted notifications in their local language. They compared ideal EV dashboards to their phone interface - familiar, glanceable, responsive.
Secondary Research 2.0
The second paper's literature was narrower and more design-focused, building on Paper 1's findings to frame the HMI problem specifically. Key findings:
The second paper's literature was narrower and more design-focused, building on Paper 1's findings to frame the HMI problem specifically. Key findings:
HMI design + driving behaviour
HMI design + driving behaviour
Dashboard design directly impacts safety and ease of use
Dashboard design directly impacts safety and ease of use
HMI dashboards provide real-time vehicle information that influences driving behaviour. Interfaces must be designed for glanceability : particularly critical on two-wheelers where eyes-off-road time is a direct safety risk.
Prior Indian EV studies focused almost entirely on Bengaluru, Delhi, and Jaipur. Rural markets - the majority of India's population were largely unstudied.
HMI dashboards provide real-time vehicle information that influences driving behaviour. Interfaces must be designed for glanceability : particularly critical on two-wheelers where eyes-off-road time is a direct safety risk.
Meng, Wu & Jia, 2023
Verma et al., 2020 · Jain et al., 2022
Meng, Wu & Jia, 2023
Digital literacy + interface design
Digital literacy + interface design
Interfaces must account for users' familiarity with technology
Urban-derived barriers don't map to rural reality
Urban-derived barriers don't map to rural reality
Digital interfaces in low-literacy contexts must be designed around user familiarity, not assumed competence. Minimalist UI, localised language support, and icon-based navigation significantly improve usability in non-urban settings.
Digital interfaces in low-literacy contexts must be designed around user familiarity, not assumed competence. Minimalist UI, localised language support, and icon-based navigation significantly improve usability in non-urban settings.
Sarikaya et al., 2019 · Noonpakdee et al., 2018 · Verma & Ryan, 2016
Kumar & Alok, 2020 · Li et al., 2017
Sarikaya et al., 2019 · Noonpakdee et al., 2018 · Verma & Ryan, 2016
Rural EV adoption barriers
Rural EV adoption barriers
Literacy, infrastructure, and affordability compound each other
Literacy, infrastructure, and affordability compound each other
Rural EV adoption is hindered by three intersecting barriers: unfamiliarity with digital interfaces, intermittent electricity and poor network connectivity, and the higher cost of touchscreen HMIs over simpler physical-control alternatives.
Rural EV adoption is hindered by three intersecting barriers: unfamiliarity with digital interfaces, intermittent electricity and poor network connectivity, and the higher cost of touchscreen HMIs over simpler physical-control alternatives.
Census of India, 2011 · Satpute et al., 2024 · FAME-II, 2022 · Lipu et al., 2022
Afroz et al., 2015 · Junquera et al., 2016
Census of India, 2011 · Satpute et al., 2024 · FAME-II, 2022 · Lipu et al., 2022
Information access in rural contexts
Information access in rural contexts
Rural users need frameworks designed for their context, not adapted from urban ones
India's EV policy was structurally urban-facing
India's EV policy was structurally urban-facing
Research on information access in rural and remote communities established that effective systems must be built around local infrastructure constraints and communication norms - not retrofitted from urban-first designs.
Research on information access in rural and remote communities established that effective systems must be built around local infrastructure constraints and communication norms - not retrofitted from urban-first designs.
Economic Survey 2022–23 · Ministry of Heavy Industries
Economic Survey 2022–23 · Ministry of Heavy Industries
Sequential research design
Sequential research design
Paper 1 as the direct evidence base for Paper 2
An underexplored barrier in price-sensitive contexts
An underexplored barrier in price-sensitive contexts
Uniquely, this paper used the preceding Design 2024 study as its primary evidence base - making the two papers a genuinely sequential research programme. The rural adoption barriers documented in Paper 1 directly motivated the HMI design questions explored here.
Uniquely, this paper used the preceding Design 2024 study as its primary evidence base - making the two papers a genuinely sequential research programme. The rural adoption barriers documented in Paper 1 directly motivated the HMI design questions explored here.
Satpute, Rai & Onkar, 2024
Shankar & Kumari, 2019 · Tunçel, 2022
Satpute, Rai & Onkar, 2024
EV infrastructure constraints
EV infrastructure constraints
Battery management and connectivity gaps shape interface requirements
Battery management and connectivity gaps shape interface requirements
Infrastructure constraints including unreliable power supply and poor rural network coverage - mean that touchscreen-dependent and internet-reliant HMI features are not viable for many rural users, making offline functionality and physical controls critical design considerations.
Infrastructure constraints including unreliable power supply and poor rural network coverage - mean that touchscreen-dependent and internet-reliant HMI features are not viable for many rural users, making offline functionality and physical controls critical design considerations.
Lipu et al., 2022 · Economic Survey, 2023
Lipu et al., 2022 · Economic Survey, 2023
Section 06 — Co-design process
The second phase moved from understanding the problem to building a response to it. Rather than designing in isolation and testing later, the approach here was participatory from the start -
going back into the field, this time with a specific design question:
The second phase moved from understanding the problem to building a response to it. Rather than designing in isolation and testing later, the approach here was participatory from the start -
going back into the field, this time with a specific design question:
What would a rider display actually need to show, say, and do to earn the trust of someone in rural India?
What would a rider display actually need to show, say, and do to earn the trust of someone in rural India?
Hamayupur
Hamayupur
Ambala district, Haryana
Ambala district, Haryana
~1,600
~1,600
population
population
68.6%
68.6%
literacy rate
literacy rate
12 kms
12 kms
from district HQ
participants Average age
Why this location?
Why this location?
Close enough to infrastructure to make EV ownership plausible - consistent electricity, access to the highway. Far enough from urban centres that gaps in trust, service, and interface design still mattered deeply. A realistic early adopter context.
Close enough to infrastructure to make EV ownership plausible - consistent electricity, access to the highway. Far enough from urban centres that gaps in trust, service, and interface design still mattered deeply. A realistic early adopter context.
Why this location?
Close enough to infrastructure to make EV ownership plausible - consistent electricity, access to the highway. Far enough from urban centres that gaps in trust, service, and interface design still mattered deeply. A realistic early adopter context.
Participant selection
Participant selection
Existing EV owners and people with genuine intent to adopt - not a general sample. Ensured every conversation was grounded in real stakes.
Existing EV owners and people with genuine intent to adopt - not a general sample. Ensured every conversation was grounded in real stakes.
Existing EV owners and people with genuine intent to adopt - not a general sample. Ensured every conversation was grounded in real stakes.
Conducted over 2 days with 12 village residents.
M = 10, F = 2
Conducted over 2 days with 12 village residents.
M = 10, F = 2
Conducted over 2 days with 12 village residents.
M = 10, F = 2
Stimulus material
Stimulus material
Showed images and videos of real rider displays currently available in the market before any discussion - giving participants something concrete to react to, not an abstract concept.
Showed images and videos of real rider displays currently available in the market before any discussion - giving participants something concrete to react to, not an abstract concept.
Showed images and videos of rider displays from Ola, Ather, and Vida - three of India's most prominent 2W EVs.
Showed images and videos of rider displays from Ola, Ather, and Vida - three of India's most prominent 2W EVs.
Showed images and videos of rider displays from Ola, Ather, and Vida - three of India's most prominent 2W EVs.
Conversation format
Conversation format
Open-ended discussions guided by what the media prompted - no fixed questionnaire. 1–2 participants at a time to keep sessions intimate and candid.
Open-ended discussions guided by what the media prompted - no fixed questionnaire. 1-2 participants at a time to keep sessions intimate and candid.
Open-ended discussions guided by what the media prompted - no fixed questionnaire. 1–2 participants at a time to keep sessions intimate and candid.
Each session took 1.5 hrs on an average.
Each session took 1.5 hrs on an average.
Each session took 1.5 hrs on an average.
Data capture
Data capture
Voice recordings and field observation notes. Insights later organised into three thematic buckets.
Voice recordings and field observation notes. Insights later organised into three thematic buckets.
All the notes and recordings are gone through after the sessions and the data is organized in an excel sheet.
All the notes and recordings are gone through after the sessions and the data is organized in an excel sheet.
Three insight buckets emerged naturally from across the sessions:
User Behaviour
Vehicles shared among family members
Heavy loads carried regularly on 2Ws
Long daily distances covered on 2Ws
2W EVs seen as safer for younger riders
User Preferences
Touchscreen, mobile-like interface
Colourful TFT displays preferred
No monthly subscription costs
Alerts in local language, UI in English
User Environment
Network coverage gaps in rural areas
Monsoon flooding on unmetalled roads
Nearest EV service centre ~15 km away
Consistent electricity, but varies by village
These insights drove six core design principles for the rider display:
Section 03 — Field study
Villages were selected to represent geographic, linguistic, and infrastructural diversity - some near highways with consistent power supply, others more remote with irregular grid access.
Research was conducted as structured qualitative interviews with field observation, voice recordings, and observation notes.
The structured questionnaire was based on the key findings from the secondary research and covered 24 questions across five themes:
Openness to new technology
Perceptions of electric vehicles as innovative and modern
Attitude towards sustainability and environmental impact
Practical concerns around cost, performance, and convenience
Openness to new technology
Responses were collected on Likert scales alongside open-ended remarks, with voice recordings and field observations capturing context that structured responses alone couldn't surface.
61
Participants; M = 52, F = 9
8
villages
6
states
33.4 years
Average age of participants
KARNATAKA
Gundlupete
n = 9
KARNATAKA
Alanahalli
n = 6
Maharashtra
Badlapur
n = 6
Haryana
Mattewali
n = 8
PUNJAB
Gharuan
n = 7
Rajasthan
Sinodia
n = 9
Bihar
Chorauan
n = 9
Jharkhand
Tumbaguttu
n = 7
Three insight buckets emerged naturally from across the sessions:
User Behaviour
Vehicles shared among family members
Heavy loads carried regularly on 2Ws
Long daily distances covered on 2Ws
2W EVs seen as safer for younger riders
User Preferences
Touchscreen, mobile-like interface
Colourful TFT displays preferred
No monthly subscription costs
Alerts in local language, UI in English
User Environment
Network coverage gaps in rural areas
Monsoon flooding on unmetalled roads
Nearest EV service centre ~15 km away
Consistent electricity, but varies by village
These insights drove six core design principles for the rider display:
01
01
Simplified interface
Simplified interface
Only essential information in motion.
Speed and battery state are the primary focus
No nested menus while the vehicle is moving
Prior Indian EV studies focused almost entirely on Bengaluru, Delhi, and Jaipur. Rural markets - the majority of India's population were largely unstudied.
Only essential information in motion.
Speed and battery state are the primary focus
No nested menus while the vehicle is moving
research validated
research validated
industry standard
industry standard
02
02
Localised content
Urban-derived barriers don't map to rural reality
Urban-derived barriers don't map to rural reality
English primary UI (smartphone-familiar), with all alerts in the rider's regional language - set once in Settings.
English primary UI (smartphone-familiar), with all alerts in the rider's regional language - set once in Settings.
research validated
research validated
industry standard
industry standard
03
03
Adaptive display
Adaptive display
Dark mode while riding for outdoor legibility.
Light mode in stationary menus where reading is needed.
Prior Indian EV studies focused almost entirely on Bengaluru, Delhi, and Jaipur. Rural markets - the majority of India's population were largely unstudied.
Dark mode while riding for outdoor legibility.
Light mode in stationary menus where reading is needed.
research validated
research validated
industry standard
industry standard
04
04
Trust-first hierarchy
Urban-derived barriers don't map to rural reality
Urban-derived barriers don't map to rural reality
Battery shown as both % and km range.
Plain-language motor health.
Warning at safe threshold, not at crisis point.
Battery shown as both % and km range.
Plain-language motor health.
Warning at safe threshold, not at crisis point.
research validated
research validated
industry standard
industry standard
05
05
New
Load-aware range
Load-aware range
Range estimate adjusts dynamically based on detected load weight - giving heavy-load riders an honest picture of how far they'll actually get.
Prior Indian EV studies focused almost entirely on Bengaluru, Delhi, and Jaipur. Rural markets - the majority of India's population were largely unstudied.
Range estimate adjusts dynamically based on detected load weight - giving heavy-load riders an honest picture of how far they'll actually get.
research validated
research validated
original proposal
original proposal
06
06
New
Road hazard awareness
Road hazard awareness
Crowdsourced pothole and waterlogging alerts via local-language notifications now. LiDAR integration identified as next hardware iteration as costs fall below ₹5,000.
Prior Indian EV studies focused almost entirely on Bengaluru, Delhi, and Jaipur. Rural markets - the majority of India's population were largely unstudied.
Crowdsourced pothole and waterlogging alerts via local-language notifications now. LiDAR integration identified as next hardware iteration as costs fall below ₹5,000.
near-term feasible
near-term feasible
future hardware
future hardware
Section 07 — Design
The first phase of this project documented a trust gap - rural riders who wanted EVs but couldn't trust what the display was telling them.
The second phase asked a more specific question: what would a rider display actually need to show, say, and do to earn that trust? Not in the abstract, but for a specific person, on a specific kind of road, carrying a specific kind of load, reading in a specific language.
The screens that follow are the answer to that question. But before the screens, two things:
The first phase of this project documented a trust gap - rural riders who wanted EVs but couldn't trust what the display was telling them.
The second phase asked a more specific question: what would a rider display actually need to show, say, and do to earn that trust? Not in the abstract, but for a specific person, on a specific kind of road, carrying a specific kind of load, reading in a specific language.
The screens that follow are the answer to that question. But before the screens, two things:
A map of the emotional journey a rural rider travels from first encounter to earned confidence.
A map of the emotional journey a rural rider travels from first encounter to earned confidence.
Followed by
Followed by
An explanation of how the mobile app and the rider display divide that journey between them - because trust isn't built in one place, or all at once.
An explanation of how the mobile app and the rider display divide that journey between them - because trust isn't built in one place, or all at once.
Rural India's rapidly growing familiarity with smartphones means the interface conventions this design draws on: glanceable information, notification alerts, language switching - are no longer foreign.
Rural India's rapidly growing familiarity with smartphones means the interface conventions this design draws on: glanceable information, notification alerts, language switching - are no longer foreign.
The mental model already exists. The HMI display inherits it.
The mental model already exists. The HMI display inherits it.
Trust journey map
Trust in an EV isn't formed the moment a rider buys one. It accumulates, or fails to across a series of encounters that begin long before the first ride and continue well into daily use.
The map below traces that arc across 6 stages, following 2 parallel channels: the mobile app, which builds confidence before the vehicle starts, and the HMI display, which must earn trust on the road.
Trust journey map
Trust in an EV isn't formed the moment a rider buys one. It accumulates, or fails to across a series of encounters that begin long before the first ride and continue well into daily use.
The map below traces that arc across 6 stages, following 2 parallel channels: the mobile app, which builds confidence before the vehicle starts, and the HMI display, which must earn trust on the road.
HANDOFF: the inflection point
Between stages 03 and 04, anxiety peaks and trust hits its lowest point. The app has been carrying the relationship alone.
The design intervention targets this crossing - giving the HMI display the vocabulary, the language, and the honesty it needs to take over from the app and hold trust on the road.
Between stages 03 and 04, anxiety peaks and trust hits its lowest point. The app has been carrying the relationship alone.
The design intervention targets this crossing - giving the HMI display the vocabulary, the language, and the honesty it needs to take over from the app and hold trust on the road.
Screen designs
The screens below represent the core interaction features of the HMI display.
I have imitated Ather Rizta Z’s HMI as an example to demonstrate the design principles framed in the study:
Screen designs
The screens below represent the core interaction features of the HMI display.
I have imitated Ather Rizta Z’s HMI as an example to demonstrate the design principles framed in the study:
Principles
01
01
Simplified interface
Simplified interface
02
02
Localised content
Localised content
03
03
Adaptive display
Adaptive display
04
04
Trust-first hierarchy
Trust-first hierarchy
05
05
Load-aware range
Load-aware range
06
06
Road hazard awareness
Road hazard awareness
Vehicle health + Temperature
Addresses fire anxiety from 2022 EV incidents - a glanceable safety reassurance
riding view
01
Simplified interface
03
Adaptive display
04
Trust-first hierarchy
Large numerals + dynamic background
Reduces eyes-off-road time - riders read vehicle state at a glance, not detail. Critical on unmetalled, unpredictable rural roads.
Range in km + battery percentage
Dual representation - km answers "how far can I go?", percentage shows depletion. Closes the trust gap.
Ride mode selector
Hardware mirrored, current mode reflected on-screen.
riding view (dark)
01
Simplified interface
03
Adaptive display
04
Trust-first hierarchy
Adaptive display
Dark mode while riding. Switches to dark mode during rides for outdoor legibility and reduced eye strain.
Battery Low · riding alert
01
Simplified interface
03
Adaptive display
04
Trust-first hierarchy
Vehicle health + Temperature
Remains green and unchanged even under low battery - reassures the rider the vehicle is mechanically safe, separating charge anxiety from fire anxiety.
Battery Low toast
Surfaces at threshold - not at empty. Gives the rider time to act, not just react.
Critical state
Bar and percentage shift from green to red at low charge. Colour encodes urgency without requiring the rider to read a number.
Bilingual critical alert
English title for familiarity, Hindi descriptor for immediate comprehension.
Battery Low · halt alert
01
Simplified interface
02
Localised content
04
Trust-first hierarchy
06
Road hazard awareness
Contextual charger information
Nearest charger surfaced inside the alert itself - no navigation required to find it. Closes the anxiety loop at the moment it opens.
Get directions button
Nearest charger surfaced inside the alert itself - no navigation required to find it. Closes the anxiety loop at the moment it opens.
charging · locked
01
Simplified interface
02
Localised content
03
Adaptive display
04
Trust-first hierarchy
Connector lock state
Lock status shown via icon, with English and Hindi instructions paired for comprehension across literacy levels.
Mode-specific range estimate
Range shown for the active riding mode, not a generic figure, so riders know exactly what they'll get.
Real-time session cost
No hidden costs, no surprises.
Charge progress + milestone targets
Bar shows current state; 80% and 100% milestones with km range and time estimates give the rider a reason to wait - or a decision point to leave early.
riding view · load aware
01
Simplified interface
03
Adaptive display
04
Trust-first hierarchy
05
Load-aware range
Load-aware range
Range adjusted for detected load - the km figure reflects what the rider will actually cover, not an empty-vehicle estimate.
waterlogging ahead alert · halt
01
Simplified interface
02
Localised content
04
Trust-first hierarchy
06
Road hazard awareness
Actionable CTA + route context
Lets the rider see the hazard in spatial context and find an alternate route - converts the alert from passive warning to active decision support.
Hazard Icon + Bilingual Alert
Triangle signals danger, water waves specify the type - two pieces of information, one glance. Hindi line delivers the warning in the rider's language when it matters most.
Distance + crowdsourced confirmation
Exact distance gives the rider time to react. Peer confirmation builds credibility.
Reflection
Most EV interfaces are designed for early adopters - people who already trust the technology. This research asked a different question: what does an interface need to do for someone who doesn't?
The answer isn't more features. It's legibility. Honest feedback under real conditions.
Most EV interfaces are designed for early adopters - people who already trust the technology. This research asked a different question: what does an interface need to do for someone who doesn't?
The answer isn't more features. It's legibility. Honest feedback under real conditions.
A system that earns trust incrementally rather than assuming it.
A system that earns trust incrementally rather than assuming it.
That's the design problem worth solving if EVs are going to move beyond urban markets.
That's the design problem worth solving if EVs are going to move beyond urban markets.
Thank you for reading!