VinFast MHU

In-car head unit infotainment interface balancing navigation, vehicle climate controls, media playback, and driving telemetry under strict driver distraction regulations.

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// PRODUCT DESIGN SYSTEM & USER FLOW

AUTOMOTIVE IN-CAR COCKPIT INFOTAINMENT

Electric vehicle central infotainment display (Media, Climate, Navigation)

CRITICAL CONSTRAINT:

Strict eye-off-road limits (NHTSA 2-second rule) and high temperature/sunlight extremes

INTERACTION & OPERATIONAL PIPELINE

01Tactile Anchor

Persistent Rail

Permanent climate and defog touch targets anchored at display base

02Glance-First Scale

Contextual Widgets

Split cards for Navigation, Audio, and Battery status with high contrast

03Muscle Memory

Direct Controls

Zero nested menus for high-frequency cabin climate adjustments

04Visual Ergonomics

Luminance Adaptation

Automatic ambient transitions preventing driver night-blindness

KEY DESIGN DECISIONS

Permanent climate anchor

Preserved permanent screen real estate for climate controls instead of burying them inside software drawers.

Zero multi-step gestures

Eliminated complex pinch/swipe interactions in favor of unambiguous large tap targets to prevent driver distraction.

EVALUATION & LEARNINGS

DESIGN INTENT

Allow all primary cabin adjustments to be completed within a 2-second glance window.

OBSERVED IMPACT

Intuitive tactile muscle memory developed quickly among drivers with minimal menu hunting.

RETROSPECTIVE LEARNING

In automotive UX, animation that delays access to a critical control is a safety hazard, not a delightful detail.

01 / The Challenge & Context

The Operational Problem

Automotive cockpit interfaces must adhere to strict eye-off-road time limits (NHTSA guidelines). Nesting controls inside complex menus frustrates drivers and compromises vehicle safety.

02 / System & Design Architecture

User Flow & Ergonomics

Persistent persistent status and climate rail → High-contrast contextual widgets (Media, Maps, Battery) → Direct physical-touch affordances → Night/Day automatic luminance transition.

KEY TRADE-OFF // PERSISTENT PHYSICAL TOUCH TARGETSHigh-frequency climate controls remain permanently anchored at the bottom edge, allowing tactile muscle memory without menu diving.

03 / Verifiable Outcome & Learning

Impact & Retrospective

Intuitive access to high-frequency climate and media functions with reduced driver glance frequency.

LEARNING:Automotive UX is an exercise in extreme visual restraint. If an animation delays access to a critical vehicle control, it is a safety hazard, not a delightful detail.

[CURRENT CAPABILITIES]

Permanent bottom climate and safety control anchor rail
Glance-optimized typography scale readable at speed
Dark-mode ambient luminance adaptation preventing night-blindness