Unity CES Demo

As Lead Designer, I led a cross disciplinary team to create a next generation automotive HMI prototype showcased at CES. The work explored how instrument clusters and infotainment systems could become more intuitive, adaptive, and elegantly immersive. To elevate the experience, we also developed a spatial Apple Vision Pro application that allowed CES attendees to step inside the vehicle and experience the HMI at full scale directly at the booth.

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My Role

• Led workshops with engineers and stakeholders to uncover key driver needs and cognitive pain points.
• Defined the visual language and overall look & feel across instrument cluster, infotainment, and spatial experiences.
• Built a modular, scalable design system to support multiple screen sizes, vehicle models, and platforms.
• Oversaw motion design and interaction patterns to ensure clarity, hierarchy, and minimal driver distraction.
• Partnered closely with Unity developers to deliver real-time, high fidelity prototypes across tablets and Apple Vision Pro.

The Challenge
Modern vehicles generate massive volumes of real-time data, yet many dashboards overwhelm drivers or fragment information across screens. For CES, we also faced an additional challenge:

• How do you communicate the full potential of a next-gen HMI in a crowded show environment?
• How can stakeholders experience the system beyond flat screens and static demos?

The Solution
We delivered a multi-platform proof of concept built in Unity, paired with an immersive Apple Vision Pro experience:

• Adaptive Instrument Cluster
  Real-time vehicle telemetry, predictive alerts, and layouts that dynamically adapt to driving context; city, highway, or autonomous modes.
• Futuristic Infotainment System
  Seamless navigation, media, and app integration using contextual surfaces, voice, and gesture based interactions.
• Immersive Spatial Experience (Apple Vision Pro)
  A spatial automotive HMI experience allowing CES attendees to step inside the cockpit, explore the interface at full scale, and experience motion, depth, and interaction in a way not possible on traditional displays.
• Modular Design System
  A flexible UI framework supporting in-vehicle screens, large-format demos, and spatial computing, ensuring visual and interaction consistency across platforms.
• Motion & Feedback
  Purposeful animation and micro-interactions that guide attention, reinforce hierarchy, and enhance comprehension without distraction.

Impact

• Successfully showcased at CES with both traditional displays and Apple Vision Pro, creating a highly immersive and memorable experience for attendees.
• Enabled stakeholders to experience the HMI at scale, improving understanding and buy in for future development.
• Demonstrated how spatial computing can elevate automotive UX design and storytelling.
• Positioned the client as a forward-thinking leader at the intersection of automotive, real-time 3D, and spatial computing.

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