Arc · Assistive Road Companion
Team
UX Researcher, Engineers, Data Specialist, Embassy Representatives
Timeline
4 months of design and strategy
Year
2025
Team
Overview
ARC (Assistive Road Companion) is an AI-powered automotive OS designed to transform passive driving into a collaborative, personalized journey.
In this 12-week 0→1 project, we defined the product vision, designed the interaction model, and built a cohesive design system that shifts the car from a tool into a companion adapting to passenger context, mood, and shared journeys.
My Role
Led the 0→1 design of an AI automotive OS, defining its vision, interaction model, and system behaviour.
Designed scalable in-car experiences using Material UI OS systems, motion design, and storytelling to create adaptive, engaging journeys
Shaped a calm, human-centered brand and interaction language that makes AI feel intuitive and collaborative
Team
Impact and Results
99%
Contact search time reduction, from hours to seconds
Zero
Contact duplication across the platform
300+
Diplomats are using this shipped platform
Seconds
Effortless and encrypted contact migration from Excel
99%
Contact search time reduction, from hours to seconds
Hey Quora!
8D
Immersive sound
Mode
Top rated app
4.9
Based on 1200+ reviews
Team
Key Highlights
The Contact Directory, the heart of the platform
Problem space
Identified an Untapped Experience Gap by Analyzing Current Automotive Entertainment Systems
ARC is built to explore three timely shifts
After interviewing 5+ travelers, identified the users' pain points.
User Interviewed
From Smart to Experiential
Cars are becoming smarter, but “smart” often means more screens and menus, not better experiences.
From Solo to Shared
Travel is increasingly social, especially with friends and families driving in multiple cars to the same destination.
From Navigation to Discovery
Users want discovery, not just directions. Stories, context, and moments that make a journey memorable.
PROJECT SCOPE & CONSTRAINTS
Designed for an Autonomous Future: From Minimizing Distraction to Enabling Immersive Experiences
Design Philosophy and Travel Experience
Design decisions were guided by a future of fully autonomous driving, where users are no longer required to focus on vehicle control. This shift allows the interface to move beyond traditional safety constraints and explore richer, more immersive in-car experiences.
Mapped the travel experience across four phases: pre-ride setup, early journey, mid-journey, and final stretch
Team
Designed an end-to-end centralized, secure, and scalable system for diplomatic contacts.
Contact Directory dashboard design
02. Created context-rich profiles to enable personalized contact management
By introducing a grid view, users can see more contacts on a single screen compared to the list view. Dedicated metrics provide a clear overview and context.
Contact Directory dashboard design
Contact Directory dashboard design
Contact Directory dashboard design
02. Created context-rich profiles to enable personalized contact management
By introducing a grid view, users can see more contacts on a single screen compared to the list view. Dedicated metrics provide a clear overview and context.
The impact
This allows diplomats to understand the number of contacts available before delving into who they are.
02. Created context-rich profiles to enable personalized contact management
Profiles carry notes, tags, and personal and professional info fields. A 2-tier contact system was incorporated: an individual profile, and an organization profile with detailed information on associated contacts.
The impact
This allows diplomats to easily search and filter contacts based on the type of contact they are, and reduces the search time. Advanced tags by name, country, organization, and type of profile enable fast discoverability.
03. Designed a bulk import system with validation to migrate 1000+ contacts, securely and error free
A robust contact import and contact creation system, where users can import 1000's of contacts from Excel files or PDFs, or create contacts manually. A security wall validates and verifies all imported contacts and removes duplicated contacts, and verified contacts are updated in the contact directory.
The impact
1000's of contacts can be imported in a few seconds, from anywhere, in any format of file, without any manual effort.
Team
Key Learnings and Reflections
This project taught me that the best design solutions emerge when you challenge your assumptions early and often.
Key takeaways
Small touches create big trust
Features like notes, for example dietary requirement needs, build confidence in the system
Security trumps speed
In sensitive diplomatic contexts, taking extra time for encryption is essential
User feedback is gold
It turned my assumption into a genuinely user-centered product
Progressive disclosure works
Minimal info upfront, detailed views on demand, reduced cognitive load
Team
What Would I Do Differently
AI-powered features for diplomatic contact management
AI · 01
Automated personalized user check-ins for events
AI · 02
Culturally aware and personalized holiday greetings
AI · 03
Recurring event reminders
AI · 04
Relationship strength analytics
Nvoye · Contact Management System Case Study. Thank you for reading.