Technology & Innovation – Marcelo Caetano

January 14, 2025February 28, 2025

Electronics Giants Enter the Automotive Arena at CES 2025

This year at CES 2025, we’ve witnessed a significant shift in the automotive industry as electronics companies make their entrance into automotive design, signaling a new era where EVs are increasingly blurring the lines between vehicles and electronic devices.

Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) showcased their Afeela 1, demonstrating how consumer electronics expertise can translate into automotive innovation. The Afeela 1 isn’t just a car; it’s a tech platform on wheels, emphasizing AI capabilities, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and seamless connectivity.

Samsung, through its subsidiary Harman, is leveraging its technological prowess to redefine the in-vehicle experience. Harman announced collaborations with leading companies across the tech and automotive sectors, focusing on creating intelligent and intuitive user experiences in cars. Their partnership with Cerence AI has led to the launch of “Luna,” an advanced AI system for vehicles, demonstrating the increasing importance of AI in automotive design.

More Electronics, Less Mechanics

The trend of electronics companies entering the automotive space reflects the fundamental shift in vehicle architecture brought about by electrification. EVs are, at their core, more akin to electronic products than the ICE predecessors. This shift is evident in several key areas:

Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs): The emphasis on software and AI in modern EVs aligns perfectly with the strengths of electronics companies.
User Experience Focus: The in-car experience is becoming increasingly digital, with features like advanced AI assistants providing a high degree of personalization.
Advanced Displays: BMW’s new Panoramic iDrive system, featuring the BMW Panoramic Vision full-width windshield display, exemplifies the trend towards more immersive and informative in-car displays.
Sensor Integration: Companies like Omnivision and Philips are bringing their expertise in sensing technologies to create advanced in-cabin monitoring systems.

The Future of Automotive Design

As we move forward, the fusion of automotive and consumer electronics will only intensify. The automotive industry is seeing a rapid evolution in vehicle architecture, with a greater emphasis on software integration and electronic systems. This shift means adapting to a new paradigm where UX/UI design, software integration, and electronic systems play an increasingly central role in the vehicle development process. The challenge lies in seamlessly blending these high-tech elements with the traditional aspects of automotive design – aesthetics, ergonomics, and performance.
For those of us in the industry, it’s an exhilarating time to be at the forefront of this transformation, shaping the vehicles that will define the next era of mobility.

January 8, 2025February 27, 2025

My Journey with AI as an Industrial Designer: Creating a Circular-Shaped Printer

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a powerful tool in industrial design, offering unprecedented opportunities for creativity. However, it comes with significant challenges—especially when creating something truly novel that deviates from established norms.
Try to design a circular-shaped printer, and you will discover AI’s key limitations:

Training – AI is trained on existing ideas and products; anything new will confuse and challenge the AI.

Manual Editing Required – AI-generated outputs often need extensive manual adjustments to achieve desired quality, shape, and accuracy.

Limited Context Understanding – AI tools struggle to grasp nuanced project requirements, necessitating constant manual refinement.

Creativity Balance – While AI handles complex calculations, human designers bring essential intuition and emotional intelligence.

Skill Adaptation and Transparency – Integrating AI into the design process requires learning new tools and methods while adapting workflows. Additionally, there’s a growing need for transparency in how AI algorithms work to build trust among designers, stakeholders, and end-users (more on this in my next article).

My Strategic Approach

To overcome these challenges, I developed a structured workflow:

– Use AI for initial concept generation.
– Manually refine designs using Photoshop, Affinity Design, Sketchbook, SolidWorks, and other tools.
– Create an iterative design process.
– Push creative boundaries beyond AI-generated outputs.
– Validate designs with stakeholders.

Following this approach, I was able to get the results I was looking for.

February 27, 2020February 27, 2025

Design Done Right (and Wrong), Banking vs Parking Machine

On November 14, 2019, I observed a striking contrast in user-centered design between two machines: an RBC banking machine and a parking lot payment kiosk. The RBC machine, which was being introduced at the time, stood out for its user-friendly design. Its most compelling feature was the ability to process bill payments without requiring envelopes. The machine presented a streamlined interface, characterized by a limited number of clearly labeled slots and buttons, complemented by a large, easily readable screen. The overall aesthetic was clean and intuitive.
In contrast, the parking lot machine presented a design riddled with usability issues. The sheer number of buttons, combined with a small display screen, created a sense of complexity and confusion. The layout was so counter-intuitive that the designers seemingly anticipated user difficulty, even including a button marked with a question mark. Ironically, the building management had to hire a staff member to assist customers in using the machine, effectively negating the purpose of automated self-service.
This real-world observation highlighted the critical importance of intuitive design in ensuring technology is both functional and accessible.

Lessons for new Industrial Designers

These examples underscore critical principles for creating effective user-centric products:

– Prioritize simplicity and intuitive interfaces to enhance user experience.
– Conduct thorough user research and testing to identify and address pain points before implementation.
– Focus on the primary task flow, ensuring that secondary functions do not overshadow the main purpose of the device.
– Embrace innovation to improve functionality while maintaining ease of use.

By adhering to these principles, industrial designers can create products that not only fulfill their intended purpose but also provide a seamless and satisfying user experience.

Transform Your Products with Intuitive Design

If you’re looking to elevate your product’s user experience and drive business success through effective design, I can help. As an experienced Industrial Designer consultant, I specialize in crafting user-centered solutions that enhance functionality and accessibility. Whether you’re launching a new product or revamping an existing one, let’s collaborate to create intuitive designs that delight your users. My services include:

Conducting thorough research to identify and address pain points.
Developing a cohesive product strategy that aligns with your business goals.
Creating prototypes that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Ensuring designs are optimized for efficient production.

Contact me today to explore how we can work together to bring your vision to life and transform your products with intuitive design!