In partnership with San José State University and the Alliance Innovation Lab at Nissan, our team of four anthropologists set out to research the user experience of individuals inside a vehicle to gain knowledge that might improve the user experience inside cars in the future. Our team was curious to find out how commuters used their time while on the road, whether they were driving, passengering, or using public transportation.

Our research group looked at diverse passenger arrangements, such as a family driving together and solitary commuters, to discover how people utilize the space of a vehicle differently. Some questions we explored included what the various use cases look like regarding location. When are passengers in the car paying attention to the outer world, and when are they concentrating on other passengers or a device? And how do these encounters differ in the public transportation system's common areas?

Each team member discussed their research results and experiences, which looked at different users' and their experiences inside cars. For the future of car interiors, each of us generated a different set of predictions and scenarios. Below are links to our team's blogs and alternative car futures.