Gozo: Autonomous Vehicle Experience Design

Gozo

A speculative AR experience that turns autonomous rides into shared, interactive moments

Gozo Car Design Concept.

background

This project was developed in collaboration with BMW Designworks as a speculative exploration of the future of autonomous mobility. We investigated how in-car experiences might evolve beyond passive, screen-based travel into more meaningful and interactive moments. Focusing on family passengers, we designed Gozo, an AR-based trivia experience that uses real-world landmarks to transform the commute into a shared, engaging environment.

see the prototype

project type

Academic

role

Product Designer and Researcher responsible for developing concepts, creating wireframes and interactive prototypes, and collaborating with my team to refine the experience through iterative feedback and testing.

timeline

February 2025 - April 2025 (12 weeks)

team

Arthur Jensen (Me)
Birgess Weston
Celia Choi
Lois Kim
Michelle Cheng

problem

Even when families are physically together during commutes, they often feel mentally distant and disconnected.

solution

Gozo is a speculative AR experience for autonomous rideshares that explores how future mobility can encourage meaningful in-car interaction and connection.

impact

We shared concepts, received feedback, and explored new directions for future mobility experiences.

High-fidelity VISUALS

Gozo

Gozo turns autonomous rides into interactive, shared AR trivia experiences.

A video showcasing the user experience of Gozo.

HIgh-fidelity visuals

How Design can Foster Connection in Autonomous Vehicles

Designed for shared attention, Gozo shifts the in-car experience from passive screen use to collaborative interaction, encouraging passengers to engage with each other and their surroundings.
Grounded in real-world context, the experience uses location-based AR trivia to connect digital play with physical landmarks, making the commute more meaningful and socially engaging.

Gozo car design concept

feature

Car Design

Designed in a campfire configuration, the seating arrangement positions passengers face-to-face to foster connection and support natural conversation during the ride.

A series of screens showcasing the design of the Main Dashboard.

feature

Main Dashboard

Passengers can use a central console to play collaborative games like Gozo Trivia or view a real-time trip map. Designed for a phone-free experience, it also features a compartment that charges, sanitizes, and stores devices.

Gozo dashboard showing AR trivia game, route map, and central passenger controls.

feature

Gozo Trivia AR Experience

An AR game designed to foster connection by prompting passengers to collaborate on trivia tied to real-world landmarks along their journey.

A hand holding a phone with the Rewind the Ride screen featured.

fearture

Rewind the Ride

This feature allows users to revisit and relive their ride experience through the mobile app.

reflection

What Worked & What I’d Improve

This project helped me rethink the commute as a shared, interactive experience rather than passive time in transit. I really enjoyed designing for a future-forward context and exploring how AR and autonomous vehicles could reshape in-car connection. One of my favorite parts of the process was how resourceful our team was during testing. For example, we used a projector and whiteboard to simulate the experience, which allowed us to quickly prototype and iterate without a fully built environment. It reinforced for me what it means to be a creative designer: staying scrappy, adaptable, and intentional with constraints. Looking back, one area we could have pushed further was developing more hand-drawn concepts and deeper explorations of the car interior to better communicate the spatial experience.

Let’s make something great together!

Let’s make something great together!