Project Brief

In the autonomous era, the vehicle cabin is shifting from a driver-focused cockpit into a living space where comfort, safety, and emotional well-being matter more than driving itself. For luxury brands, this shift is an opportunity to redefine what premium in-car experiences mean for modern users.

Porsche, known for its performance and precision, has yet to fully integrate intelligent, real-time responsiveness into its cabin design. While its SUVs excel in speed, craftsmanship, and handling, they have room for improvement in offering adaptive experiences that address the evolving needs of families in a world where the car can be a lounge, office, or wellness space as well as transportation. Without advancing toward a more intelligent, health-aware cabin, Porsche could lag behind competitors in the luxury space.

Our project explores how Porsche can merge its iconic performance with next-generation smart features to improve comfort, well-being, and family-oriented intelligence. The concept envisions an SUV interior that doesn’t just move people but supports, protects, and enhances their journey. By embedding real-time health monitoring, environmental adaptation, and personalized comfort systems, we aim to set a new benchmark for modern luxury mobility designed for today’s and tomorrow’s families.

Porsche Strategy Research

SUV Dominance as Porsche’s EV Growth Lever

Cayenne and Macan SUVs made up 59% of Porsche’s global sales in 2022. Porsche is expanding this success by electrifying its SUV line—Macan EV (2024), Cayenne EV (2025), and a 3-row flagship SUV (2027)—targeting the affluent family EV market.

Smart Tech Gap Undermines EV Appeal in China

Porsche’s in-car experience lags behind Tesla, NIO, and XPeng in AI, personalization, and connectivity. This contributed to a 19% YoY sales drop in China, as buyers prioritize smart features over brand legacy.

VW Group’s Strategic Shift to Catch Up in Software

To close the innovation gap, VW is partnering with Rivian ($5B JV) and XPeng ($700M stake) to co-develop next-gen EV platforms and intelligent cabin tech—accelerating Porsche’s push toward software-defined vehicles.

Electric SUV Dashboard Control Research

As part of our research, we visited various electric SUV dealerships to examine dashboard controls in detail, exploring how both digital interfaces and physical controls are designed for drivers and passengers.

Emotion and Health Tracking

Through research on future trends in automotive experiences, we found that biometric sensors are expected to play a larger role in personalization, safety, and even emotion analysis. From this insight, we identified an opportunity to design an intelligent system that not only detects mental stress but also responds to health emergencies—enhancing trust, comfort, and safety within the cabin.

We conducted research on how emotions are visually communicated through variations in color and intensity, which informed how the system could display emotional states in a clear and intuitive way.

Cabin Display Layout & Architecture

Before designing the interfaces, we mapped out how many screens would be needed and determined their placement within the frame.

We then made a list of features and organized them into a chart to map which features belonged on each display.

Common Scenario

Feature 1

Mental State Monitoring & Emotion Sensing

Detects mood changes in both the driver and passengers using in-cabin cameras and biometric seat sensors, allowing it to address emotional stress in real time. Designed to proactively respond, it enhances safety, comfort, and trust throughout the in-car experience.

01
Family Leaves For Trip  

Family of four heads out for a ski trip: dad is driving, mom is in the passenger seat, and their two kids are seated in the back. 

02
System Monitors Mood  

Each passenger’s mood is monitored as they enter the vehicle and continues to be visualized on the bottom screen in real time.

03
Kid Needs To Pee  

The kid becomes restless and distracting to the driver, while emotional sensors detect the kid's mood changing to an anxious state.

04
System Senses Mood Change  

As the kid becomes distracting, the dad also grows anxious, and the emotional sensors detect their mood changes and display on the screen.

05
System Suggests Auto Driving  

The dad's mood remains unstable, so the system suggests switching to auto driving to help him relax and stay focused.

06
Activate Auto Driving  

The dad decides to switch to auto driving and tries to calm the kid, while the mom looks for a restroom nearby. 

07
Passenger Adds Stop  

As the dad tries to calm the kid, the mom searches for the nearest restroom and adds a stop to the navigation route.

Feature 2

Health Mode & Emergency Responding

Monitors health data such as BPM, blood oxygen, and body temperature for the driver and all passengers. In case of an emergency, the cabin will respond immediately by navigating to the nearest hospital, connecting with a remote doctor for first-aid advice, and sharing real-time health data with the corresponding hospital.

01
Kid Gets Injured  

During a snowstorm, the kid fractures a bone and requires immediate emergency care, so the dad calls 911 for an ambulance.
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02
Paramedics Have Extended ETA  

Due to the snowstorm, paramedics struggle to reach the child, so the dad activates the vehicle’s home ambulance mode and uses its health features.

03
System Works As Home Ambulance  

The vehicle is already waiting outside with navigation set to the nearest hospital, and all seats and systems are adjusted to the child’s medical needs.

04
System Activates Emergency Mode  

As the kid’s condition worsens, the system automatically activates emergency mode and sends all health and vehicle data to the hospital.
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05
System Requires Manual Driving  

The vehicle struggles to maintain auto driving in the heavy snowstorm, requiring the dad to take over until the terrain improves. 
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06
Vehicle Arrives At Hospital  

When the family arrives at the hospital, the ER team is already prepared and waiting at the entrance due to the synchronized patient and vehicle data.