How Might We (HMW) Questions

HMW questions, sometimes known as How Do We (HDW) questions, are short questions used to kick-off the ideation process.

The interior team has been coming up with a plethora of HDW questions that we feel have an important impact on the interior experience:

Colour coding:

Green - Easy to do, should do it

Yellow - Somewhat challenging but worth doing

Red - Must do

Uncoloured - Not a specific action item but will impact design/ maybe a little too difficult to implement

HDW Question	Possible Solutions	Actionable
HDW allow for good drivability although the seat is fixed? Especially for us short people?	Adjustable "stackable" seat cushions that fold under the seat when not needed Inflatable seat bolsters Adjustable seat top Adjustable booster seat Adjustable seat-back/angle	1 Former user (Deleted) Renzo Villanoy Sheila Afros
HDW present visual information to the driver without cluttering their field of view?	Unified screens that live in the same area or flow into each other (think one long continuous screen vs all over the place)
HDW keep temperature comfortable for occupants?	Adjustable fans! Fans in the seats Air conditioner Tinted windows Cold drinks and cooler camelback cooler cooling vests cooling collars openable windows naca ducts in window interior color both for temp and for visual heat conducting fabric mesh seats cooling towels (frog towels) cooling pillows old fashioned fans	1 Ivan Cao (Deactivated) @nancy wu
HDW reduce cognitive load for drivers?	Autopilot (especially when driver is tired) Intuitive control locations Adjustable driver controls set-up (steering wheel, pedals, seat) entertainment system music for driver lane detection 'focus mode' for screens - less reading - faster information understanding through icons, easy to read charts 'dark mode' - less eye strain audio cues visual cues voice controls - google assistant maps quieter interior tinted windshield strip, not be blinded by sun
HDW prioritize information coming to driver	Adopt less-is-more approach Use mix of audio, visual, and haptic notifications
HDW make interior feel more legit. Less student team, more actual car	Focus on completion, less on perfection cover up chassis tube Soft materials Sculptable materials Emphasis on delivering a complete, seamless interior and less on the perfect interior Air freshener Playfulness to interior	2 Vaishala Saam Tian Xing Zhang (Deactivated) Bryan Yam Renzo Villanoy
HDW minimize noise inside cabin	Work with mechanical to reduce number of 'loose' components Install foam between components are squeaking against each other Do some real life "bumpy road" testing	2 Steven Wang (Deactivated)
HDW make interior feel more aesthetically pleasing	Ensure we have a unified theme throughout the interior Make sure we have a complete interior (no exposed edges, chassis tubes) curve everything integrate as many of the features as possible using curved panels eg. Middle panel over catamaran to camouflage the middle “battery box” bump Interior lighting design - RGB BABYYYY Use lighting to hide stuff	2 Renzo Villanoy Bryan Yam Former user (Deleted) SJ (Unlicensed)
HDW optimize storage space (for extra cushioning for the car seats, for passenger to put their belongings, cups, etc).	Finding storage space "Ski pass" Storage in dash area Storage along catamaran Storage under seats storage over head ( or behind seats) armrest	Sheila Afros Former user (Deleted)
HDW make long road trips comfortable, blood flow	Vented seats Adjustable cushions Adjustable headrest Nice padding Weight distribution to reduce stress on individual body parts
HDW make egress better/ safer	No sharp edges Padding along areas where you might hit your head (not visible but hidden under headliner) Use of squishy/softer materials steps near catamaran	Renzo Villanoy Vaishala Saam
HDW make the car more accessible (getting in/out)	Well-placed handles Extendable handles Seat somehow slides forward to make it easier to get in/out Steering wheel moves out of the way seat does a 90 degree turn	Renzo Villanoy Kristen Emiko Shiozaki (Deactivated)
HDW maximize use of extra space given we are an EV	Storage in dash area "frunk?" proper trunk this time storage "shelves" or compartments tie down straps for large items (bikes, strollers)	Sheila Afros Former user (Deleted)
HDW minimize amount of space components take space.	Storable/multi-use features (think tiny apartments). Keep interior space clean Arm rest also serves as table
HDW entertain drivers/passengers	Ipads in seat back for rear passengers Built-in wifi Charging ports for phones and laptops	Ashley Yang (Unlicensed) Steven Wang (Deactivated)
HDW keep people awake. Especially driver	Built-in espresso machine caffeine pill dispenser Trivia through sound system Australian Q&A signs Curated spotify playlist Snacks Built-in freezer for ice cream Car reminds you to take break! Rewards you with points Drowsiness detection system (seen with volvo,audi,mercedes cars) that warns driver when they're sleepy/lane deviation Also possible with connection to fitbit that can track low heart rate when driver is sleepy?	Ashley Yang (Unlicensed)
HDW let people sleep. Everyone but the driver	Sun shades along windows for rear passenger Noise-cancelling headphones Sleeping masks Midsun-branded pillows
HDW not get blinded by the sun	Sun visors for driver/navigator	Steven Wang (Deactivated) Ivan Cao (Deactivated)
HDW maximize range of motion in the car. Legspace, armspace, etc	Non constricting seats Padded material that you can easily move inside (vs rigid shell)	Former user (Deleted)
HDW inform driver/passenger where they are. i.e where is the nearest gas station? or lunch spot?	Fun google maps integrations Pre-made "Midnight Sun" branded trivia cards and guidebook based on route Trip-advisor integration
HDW use drive-thru's. Openable windows	Openable windows Maybe fold open (what they did before the age of roll-down windows)
HDW keep the sun from being annoying to passengers	Tinted windows Those cool retractable mesh sun shades for windows Partition	Steven Wang (Deactivated) Ivan Cao (Deactivated)
HDW make the interior nice for eating in	Fold-out table Built-in cooler compartment Vending machine easy-clean materials used for interior rather than easily staining materials
HDW make the car easier to service	Think about key areas the standard consumer would need access to
HDW choose materials that are aesthetically pleasing, utilitarian, and are good for ventilation.	Look at materials used in high-end ergonomic seats Use materials used in mesh-vented backpacks Look at innovative vehicle seating in the market	Renzo Villanoy Vaishala Saam Tian Xing Zhang (Deactivated) SJ (Unlicensed)
HDW allow drivers/passengers to communicate easily with each other?	Tablets for texting
HDW allow drivers/passengers to communicate externally?		Former user (Deleted)
HDW allow drivers/passengers to easily figure out and take steps to solve what went wrong?
HDW market the car to be appealing to the average consumer?	allow for it to be connected with multiple forms of OS's	Former user (Deleted) Ivan Cao (Deactivated) Steven Poung Ashley Yang (Unlicensed)
HDW introduce innovative ideas that inspire excitement for futuristic consumer solar cars?		Former user (Deleted) Ivan Cao (Deactivated) SJ (Unlicensed)
Hdw ensure safety of riders without airbags		Ivan Cao (Deactivated) SJ (Unlicensed)