Designing Gear Shifters for User Research
Problem Statement
The customer chose DISHER to rapidly develop, integrate, and field test three different gear shifters to learn which interface users preferred while driving.
Research & Methodology
DISHER had four weeks to develop three different types of working gear shifters and the firmware for a consumer interaction evaluation. Conceptual Engineers quickly benchmarked and analyzed current products and design trends.
Ideate & Design
DISHER’s Industrial Design team developed numerous rapid-concept sketches and refined renderings to show user interaction, design intentions, and lighting options. The Engineering team leveraged existing custom hardware and software and reimagined it for each of the three gear shifters, allowing each of them to communicate to the vehicle for seamless operation.
Build & Verify
DISHER designed and developed three different functional gear-selector interface prototypes, adapting and integrating the electronics and mechanisms into an existing test vehicle. The shifters were rigorously tested for proper functioning while prioritizing the complexity of the OEM safety and reliability logic protocols.
Reactions & Outcomes
Our customer’s executive team and hundreds of end users field tested the pilot vehicle. They successfully interacted with all three prototype gear shifters in several states which provided valuable feedback for our customer.