GMC Hummer EV
IVI & Companion App
A semester-long industry engagement with General Motors — designing a unified in-vehicle infotainment system and companion mobile app for the GMC Hummer EV, with a focus on two original features: Oasis Mode and Guardian Mode.
Client
General Motors
Vehicle
GMC Hummer EV
Role
UX Designer · Lead Visual
Timeline
Jan – Apr 2025
Team
5 designers
Confidentiality Notice — This project was completed under NDA with General Motors. Specific research findings and internal materials have been generalized. Full prototype and documentation available to verified recruiters upon request.
Overview
Treating the car as one connected system
Rather than designing each feature in isolation, we approached the Hummer EV as a system of systems — where the center display, driver cluster, and companion phone app share a consistent visual language and respond to each other contextually.
The team covered the full IVI scope: media, phone, navigation, vehicle controls, personalization, and driver cluster. I led the visual design direction across the project and was the primary Figma builder — establishing the component library, layout rules, and visual system the team built on top of.
Beyond the core IVI, our team proposed two original features tailored to the Hummer EV's identity and its drivers' real needs: Oasis Mode (in-car wellness) and Guardian Mode (remote vehicle security). This case study focuses on Oasis Mode, which I co-led end-to-end.
Design Scope
Media & Phone
Playback, queue, calls, contacts
Navigation
Turn-by-turn, map states, routing
Vehicle Controls
Wipers, mirrors, lights, cabin
Driver Cluster
Speed, alerts, contextual widgets
Personalization
Profiles, themes, drive modes
Guardian Mode
Remote security, walk mode, sentry
Oasis Mode — primary focus
In-car wellness: preset programs, seat massage, soundscape, lighting, health monitoring, recovery summary
Process
From driver context to full system
We followed a double-diamond process with client review checkpoints throughout the semester. Competitive analysis covered Tesla, Rivian, and existing GM products. IA mapping ensured features shared consistent navigation patterns across the center display and driver cluster. We iterated from lo-fi flows to component-based hi-fi prototypes, presenting to GM design leads at each major milestone.
Discover
- Competitive analysis
- Driver context research
- Client brief + constraints
Define
- IA mapping
- User flows
- Design principles
Develop
- Lo-fi wireframes
- Component library
- Visual system
Deliver
- Hi-fi prototypes
- Client presentation
- Handoff specs
Feature Deep Dive
Oasis Mode
Turning the Hummer EV into a personal recovery space
The Problem
Long drives are physically and mentally taxing. But the moment a driver stops — after hours on the highway, a stressful near-miss, or while waiting at a charging station — the car offers nothing. You're sitting in a powerful vehicle with no way to actually recover.
We asked: what if the Hummer EV could actively help you decompress?
Three moments that trigger Oasis Mode
Extended driving
Driver cluster detects fatigue from long drive time and surfaces a rest prompt. One tap opens Oasis Mode.
Stressful incident
A sudden brake or near-miss triggers a gentle prompt to pull over and use Oasis Mode to reset.
Charging stop
While the battery charges, Oasis Mode turns idle wait time into intentional recovery.
How it works — 3-step flow
Choose your experience
Three named presets with distinct intent — Power Nap (15 min, warming massage + gentle wake alert), Deep Relax (30 min, full body relaxation with calming soundscape for highway fatigue or post-stress), Reflect (mindful breathing to sharpen focus before something important). Or build a custom session.
Customize: Ambiance · Comfort · Duration
Ambiance — choose cabin lighting color and soundscape (Ocean Waves, Rainfall, etc.). Comfort — control seat massage via an interactive 3D seat rendering: tap the area you want to target rather than navigating abstract zone labels. Duration — set a timer or enable Health Monitor to track heart rate throughout the session.
Session Complete — Recovery Summary
A summary screen shows heart rate before and after, drive score, and a readiness signal — giving the driver confirmation that the session did something before they get back on the road. The driver cluster syncs to reflect the updated recovery state.
Key design decisions
Preset-first, not customization-first
We initially considered leading with a full settings panel. But a fatigued driver doesn't want to make decisions — they want to start recovering now. Named presets with clear intent let you begin in one tap. Customization exists as a layer below, not the entry point. This decision came directly from thinking through the user's emotional state at the moment of activation.
3D seat visual instead of abstract zone sliders
For massage control, we used an interactive 3D rendering of the Hummer seat rather than sliders labeled "Zone 1/2/3." Tapping the seat directly maps to the body area you want targeted — more intuitive, and a stronger visual signature. We considered labeled diagrams too, but the 3D model made the spatial mapping immediate without any explanation.
Recovery summary closes the loop
Most wellness features just stop. We added a Session Complete screen showing heart rate delta and a drive-readiness signal. This closes the loop — the driver leaves with confirmation rather than uncertainty. It also builds trust in the feature over repeated use, turning a one-time novelty into a habit.
Cluster as the entry point, not just the display
Oasis Mode prompts surface in the driver cluster — where the driver is already looking — rather than on the center screen that requires a deliberate glance. The cluster and center display stay in sync throughout the session, so no information is siloed to one surface.
Also Designed
Guardian Mode
Guardian Mode is a companion phone app for when you're away from the vehicle — combining real-time monitoring with active deterrence. I conceived the idea and designed the majority of the screens across four security states:
Walk Mode
Lights the approach path, activates cameras, lets you scan surroundings before approaching the vehicle
Sentry Mode
Passive monitoring — detects motion and alerts your phone with camera footage in real time
Occupied Mode
For resting in a parked Hummer — monitors cabin temperature and outside activity
Alert & Response
Threat detected → live cameras → pulse exterior lights or call 911 directly from the app
My Contributions
What I owned
Lead visual designer & Figma system owner
Built the shared component library and layout rules that gave the full IVI system its visual consistency. I was the strongest Figma user on the team and the one others came to for system-level decisions.
Oasis Mode — full design ownership
Originated the concept, designed all flows (preset selection, customization tabs, active session, recovery summary), and the interactive 3D seat interaction model.
Guardian Mode — concept + majority of screens
Initiated the Guardian Mode concept and designed Walk Mode, Sentry Mode, Occupied Mode, threat alert flows, alert history, and settings.
Vehicle controls & driver cluster
Designed all vehicle control screens (wipers, mirrors, headlights, cabin lighting) and defined the cluster's contextual widget hierarchy — including Oasis Mode integration.
Want to see the full prototype?
Complete flows for Oasis Mode, Guardian Mode, and the core IVI system are available for verified recruiters. Reach out and I'll share access.
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