Technology continues to inspire new “first for everything” creations within the automotive industry, and on Monday, April 9, Volkswagen joined that realm by releasing plans for its new Holistic User Experience (HUX) Division, which is focused on increasing customer experience.
The end-to-end user experience, will steer the interaction between technical development, design, product lines and sales in order to ensure the smooth integration of the vehicle into the digital world.
Infotainment, mobility, and value-added services will be the highlights of the customer experience at the new HUX Division. The center of it all will revolve around keeping things both unique and consistent in appearance.
The first priority for HUX will be Volkswagen’s I.D. family, which is the manufacturer’s new generation of electric cars based on the modular electrification toolkit. Eventually, the work will extend to the entire model portfolio.
In a world full of demand for connected everything—i.e. televisions, refrigerators, toasters, lawnmowers—it seems like the original idea for a connected smart phone is a thought from the Stone Age at this point.
Customer experience continues to evolve with the rapid shifts occurring in technology. Smart cars, much like the original smart phone, started out as a simple idea for Bluetooth inclusion, but have evolved into their own version of a 3,500-pound iPhone.
Technological experiences, which were once features on a select few of the luxurious brands of vehicles, can now be had with conventional brands such as Nissan. According to an article in Mashable, the 2018 Nissan Altima will use AI in some of its features.
“From radar and onscreen monitors that can give you a fuller picture of your surroundings, to voice-activated music and navigation controls, to automatic braking and forward collision warnings designs to help keep you safe,” the article notes. “Nissan Intelligent Mobility tech puts the future of driving in your hands.”
The automotive industry has been forced into adapting to the demand for functionality and entertainment. With AR display, smart fuel saving tips, sheet thin batteries, mobile device integration, and self-healing paint, it looks like the customer experience within cars will go far beyond simply just keeping ones eyes on the road.
With cars now fully connected, what will be next in the long line of industry product adaptation? With 20.4 billion “smart products” predicted to be in the Internet of Things by 2020, connectivity will continue to be a serious marketing factor for brands within all industries.
Keep your eyes on the road, or don’t, because after all, there’s probably an app for that, right?