A critical part of the process involved understanding key user needs, identifying pain points, and mapping the gaps between existing offerings and emerging expectations. Through design research and contextual inquiry, the team charted a landscape of opportunity—highlighting areas where innovation could deliver meaningful value for both users and OEMs. The project explored possibilities for both retrofitting existing solutions and developing new scenarios tailored to the increasingly digitally aware consumers in emerging markets such as India and other parts of South Asia.
Concepts like Magic Dial and Smart Dock were designed as retrofits that adapt to the current technological landscape. In contrast, ideas like Smart Console and Smart Access introduced entirely new paradigms of interaction and utility, aiming to redefine how users engage with digital systems in their everyday lives.
Key concepts such as Magic Dial, Smart Dock, Smart Console, and Smart Access were translated into 1:1 prototypes to evaluate feasibility and user interaction.
In-depth focus groups were held to gather feedback from target users, understand behavioral insights, and capture reflections on digital experiences within vehicles.
Learnings from the prototypes and focus groups guided the refinement of ideas and shaped the direction of subsequent innovation efforts.
Several of these developments influenced future projects and were integrated into the upcoming lineup of BMW’s mid-segment vehicles, highlighting the strategic value of the initiative.
