World's Most Experienced
Driver™

Identity and personality of the Waymo Driver™

Identity of Waymo

Waymo came out of Google X, a self-driving car project. These cars are driven by computers. How can we communicate this abstract, intangible driver to the mass public?

Sponsored by Waymo, we provided design consultancy services to explore a new visual identity for the Waymo Driver, shaping how autonomous technology could be perceived and experienced.

As this technology-as-a-service model was still new and untapped, it required a sustainable service model as part of the business strategy. We developed this strategy through a service model supported by an interaction framework and storytelling that seamlessly connect digital and physical touchpoints to create a cohesive, human-centered experience.

/ DESCRIPTION
I collaborated with three other designers on a 14-week sponsored project with Waymo, exploring how to communicate the identity of an autonomous driver to the public. Our design IP was purchased by Waymo LLC in March 2020. My contributions included sensor suite design, defining interaction touchpoints—particularly how the app experience could enhance vehicle location and enable seamless interaction between the app and the physical vehicle—narrative storytelling, and user journey research. I also created an animated video to illustrate the user journey and demonstrate how autonomous vehicles could be integrated into everyday society. Through service and system design methods, we developed a cohesive visual identity and experience framework that reflects Waymo’s vision for human-centered autonomous transportation.
/ SCOPE
Sensor Suite Design
Service Design
Storytelling
User Journey
/ TEAMMATES
Ruoyi An
Joseph Robinson
Ashwin Mohan
/ INDUSTRY
Autonomous Vehicles
/ LOCATION
Los Angeles, USA

Final design IP purchased by Waymo.
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This was a Sponsored Project / Educational Partnership between Waymo LLC and ArtCenter College of Design.

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You can find a short interview about this project on Waymo's official site

Due to confidentiality agreement with Waymo LLC, work and processes cannot be disclosed.

Publication