{"id":34435,"date":"2021-05-31T15:59:29","date_gmt":"2021-05-31T13:59:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intellias.com\/?p=34435"},"modified":"2023-08-21T10:13:13","modified_gmt":"2023-08-21T08:13:13","slug":"address-the-main-ev-challenges-with-kanzi-ui-development","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/intellias.com\/ev-challenges-kanzi-ui-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Address the Main EV Challenges with Kanzi UI Development"},"content":{"rendered":"
In the automotive context, the potential of electrification is huge. Electric cars offer countless benefits to both drivers and the environment. Even considering the ecological footprint from the production of an electric vehicle (EV) and the generation of electricity to power it, an electric car is much more environmentally friendly<\/a> than its conventional counterparts. Nevertheless, no innovation is all benefits. Electrification has its challenges. <\/p>\n This article will explore the main electrification challenges and show how an automotive UI development solution can help address them.<\/p>\n Though the benefits of electrification are indisputable and global EV sales show 40% year-over-year growth, more than 97%<\/a> of all vehicles sold are traditionally fueled. Why are drivers still so hesitant about buying an electric car? <\/p>\n According to a survey conducted for Volvo<\/a>, high vehicle costs and mileage limits due to insufficient charging infrastructure are two of the main reasons why many drivers aren\u2019t joining the electrification trend.<\/p>\n Source: Volvo Reports \u2014 The State of Electric Vehicles in America<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Range anxiety is less of a concern for EV drivers, who are more focused on price.<\/p>\n Source: Volvo Reports \u2014 The State of Electric Vehicles in America<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Unfortunately, Volvo\u2019s findings are not groundless. Even in California, the most EV-mature state, there\u2019s only one charger for every ten EVs. Besides, since most stations have Level 2 chargers<\/a>, it takes 8 to 10 hours for one full charge. <\/p>\n On the one hand, this doesn\u2019t seem like a big deal. The average EV owner drives 29 miles a day, within the range of any EV (average ranges are between 150 and 250 miles), and most EV owners can charge the vehicle at home. On the other hand, charging at home doesn\u2019t work for long-distance travelers and people living in apartments, since most parking garages don\u2019t have EV charging capabilities. <\/p>\n Given that, building out networks of charging stations is vital. The bad news is that OEMs can\u2019t handle this challenge on their own. Assistance from authorities is needed. Still, an EV route planner<\/a> built into an in-car infotainment system can considerably reduce the level of range anxiety and add more certainty to the EV driving experience.<\/p>\n Electric vehicle prices range between $30,000 and $40,000<\/a>, which is far more expensive than the average gas-powered vehicle. The main reason is costly battery production. Though modern EVs run on traditional rechargeable batteries of the type used for laptops and mobile phones, they\u2019re much bigger (to hold more energy). They thus require more materials for their production, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, and magnesium \u2014 all of which are expensive. <\/p>\n And though buying an EV may lead to significant cost savings<\/a>, those savings aren\u2019t tangible at the point of purchase. As the infographic below suggests, price parity with traditional vehicles would increase the likelihood of buying an EV among 57% of Volvo research respondents.<\/p>\n Source: Volvo Reports \u2014 The State of Electric Vehicles in America<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n EV manufacturers should look for ways to lower vehicle prices to compete with traditional OEMs.<\/p>\n The issue of human machine interface (HMI) design is not generally covered in EV surveys. Still, the problem persists among all modern OEMs: Only 56%<\/a> of drivers are satisfied with their car\u2019s human machine interface. What\u2019s more, as other research suggests, 49%<\/a> of drivers say their infotainment system is a distraction. Given that, we can assume that OEMs sometimes neglect usability in their attempts to stand out from the competition. <\/p>\n The trick is that in the automotive industry, a UI\u2019s role is not limited to improving the driving experience. It\u2019s also about safety. Interacting with a digital cockpit might distract drivers from driving. Thus, OEMs should strike a balance between functional complexity and ease of use, which is possible with the help of the following HMI design principles:<\/p>\n As you can see, design plays a central role in the context of automotive HMI development. Unfortunately, in many teams, a UI\/UX expert has limited control over the product\u2019s design. Perhaps this is the main reason why most automotive HMIs are still far from perfection.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no denying that the problems described above are too complex to be overcome with a single solution. Still, there\u2019s a technology that can empower OEMs on their way to higher EV sales, and it\u2019s called Kanzi. Kanzi is a one-stop solution from Rightware<\/a> for streamlined design and development of HMIs for automotive and other industries that use embedded systems. <\/p>\n Kanzi offers a set of out-of-the-box features to streamline each aspect of HMI development, from UI creation to deployment. It consists of two parts:<\/p>\n Besides that, Kanzi comes with a set of tools (Kanzi Connect, Kanzi Performance Analyzer, etc.) and various plug-ins (Kanzi Maps, Kanzi Particles, Kanzi Stereoscopy, Kanzi Safety, etc.) that accelerate development, leaving more room for creativity and innovation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Source: Kanzi<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n All in all, the Kanzi UI solution stands out to HMI designers and engineers in many ways. With Kanzi, they can:<\/p>\n Though this list already looks impressive, these are not all the capabilities of the Kanzi UI solution. You can learn more about Kanzi on the Rightware website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Given all the benefits listed above, it\u2019s clear why more than 15 leading OEMs and over 10 Tier 1 companies have chosen Kanzi. But how does it perform in the context of the EV challenges we\u2019ve discussed previously? Let\u2019s see.<\/p>\n In the automotive domain, UI design is a matter of safety, not just a smooth and enjoyable user experience. That\u2019s why in terms of automotive HMI development, the role of the UI designer is central. <\/p>\n With visual design, data, and app logic existing separately in the Kanzi settings, designers can control their designs and make changes on demand throughout the development process without interfering with engineering. This not only promotes synergy between designers and developers but increases the chances to build a genuinely intuitive HMI.<\/p>\n You might be wondering what HMI development has to do with EV prices if the latter largely depend on battery production. But HMI development costs money too. Since an HMI development team isn\u2019t limited to a single software engineer and one hour of development, you might find yourself paying a fortune where you didn\u2019t expect to. <\/p>\n One of the main reasons many OEMs choose Kanzi is that it considerably reduces the coding hours thanks to its ready-to-use UI components, plug-ins, code reusability capabilities, and Model\u2013View\u2013ViewModel architecture, which allows designers and developers to work in parallel. <\/p>\n Thus, Kanzi accelerates your time to market while reducing the cost of HMI development.<\/p>\n In the previous paragraph, we\u2019ve mentioned an embedded EV route planner as an efficient way to alleviate the effects of poor charging infrastructure. With Kanzi Maps, you can build such a navigation solution faster and more easily without sacrificing quality. <\/p>\n Kanzi Maps is a map rendering plug-in for the easy creation of spectacular navigation experiences. The tool works seamlessly with any map provider. It offers a set of must-have mapping features such as 2D\/3D modes, customizable themes, zoom in\/zoom out, real-time rendering, full routing capabilities, and easy integration in the automotive HMI. <\/p>\n On top of that, it allows you to design maps in the same Kanzi UI workflow. This means you can leverage the full potential of Kanzi to create an EV routing planner that truly improves the daily EV driving experience.<\/p>\n Kanzi is a powerful tool for the streamlined creation of next-gen car UI designs. However, merely adding Kanzi to your HMI development tech stack doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll unlock its full potential. Profound knowledge of the framework is required. And at Intellias, we can provide you with that level of Kanzi expertise. <\/p>\nElectrification challenges<\/h2>\n
Poor charging infrastructure<\/h3>\n
Price<\/h3>\n
Automotive HMI design<\/h3>\n
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\noption \u2014 a light mode is preferable, for example, for reading maps. Besides, \u201ctraditional\u201d colors and high contrasts ensure better visibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nHow does Kanzi help overcome these challenges?<\/h2>\n
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What Kanzi can do<\/h2>\n
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How can Kanzi help with EV challenges?<\/h2>\n
HMI design<\/h3>\n
Price<\/h3>\n
Poor charging infrastructure<\/h3>\n
How does Intellias use the Kanzi framework to develop intuitive HMIs for EVs?<\/h2>\n