Tesla Share

The Tesla app feature that safely allows Tesla owners to share their car with friends, family, technicians, valet, and more without the use of a key card

Tesla,Inc.

is a leading electric vehicle and clean energy company, founded by Elon Musk. The company's mission is “to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy through increasingly affordable electric vehicles in addition to renewable energy generation and storage.” Tesla's mobile app allows owners to monitor and control their vehicles remotely, providing features such as real-time location tracking, climate control, and software updates.

Problem

Tesla is constantly evolving and adding features to stay ahead of other car companies and meet customer’s expectations. While Tesla has created a keyless car entry, they have not adapted a way for owner’s to share their car without a key.

Focus

Create a mobile app feature that allows Tesla owners to grant temporary access to users who need to drive their car.

Solution

In order to give Tesla owner’s comfort when handing over their vehicle, they will be able to track and monitor status of the driver all from their mobile app.

Design Process

  • User Inteviews

    Competitive Analysis

  • User Persona

    Brainstorming

  • Key Features

    User Flows

    Information Architecture

  • Low Fidelity Sketches

    Visual Design

    Wireframes

  • Prototype

    Usability Test

    Design Revisions

8 Weeks

Student Project with Design Lab

Competitive Analysis

Findings

Many car companies have incorporated a type of valet feature within their cars (electric and gas). However valet is the limit of this feature. Some cars give owners a brief summary after another user finishes using the vehicle but none of them can be tracked during usage.

User Interviews

5

Phone interviews

  • Users who own Teslas

  • Users who are familiar with the Tesla mobile app

  • “It would be nice to also be able to use it (Valet Mode) for non-valet, like servicing as well or give permission for someone else to drive."

    Marie N.

  • “I do not carry my Tesla key card, I did not even know where it was before yesterday

    Stephen S.

  • "I like that it is a constant evolving platform that traditional cars do not give you. There are always new features or updates of features."

    Emily C.

App Usage

  • All users use Tesla app daily for multiple features

  • Most users use keyless entry with mobile app and do not carry a key card

  • Users expressed appreciation to view their car’s information without getting into vehicle ie. battery life, miles, tire pressure, and more

Interview Debrief

Valet/Car Sharing

  • Most users have never heard of Tesla’s “Valet Mode” and do not know the extent of it’s features

  • Users expressed an interest in the Valet Mode’s settings and restrictions

  • Some complaints about trying to valet vehicle but not carrying a key card

Personas

Synthesizing Research

Pain Points

  • Stressful handing over personal vehicle to others

  • Having privacy of personal information in vehicle

  • Forgetting key card

  • Managing usage of car

Takeaways

  • Identify and validate the temporary driver

  • Access transferred to driver

  • Remove access from driver

  • Real-time car status dashboard

  • Alerts and notifications

  • Guest mode constraint settings

  • Messages

Tesla Share

  • Add multiple temporary drivers

  • Owner can set specific settings for each driver

  • Owner can monitor driver and car status

  • Owner has option to intervene and send messages to driver

User Flows

This tool allows Tesla owners to create a profile for temporary drivers and send them specific access

Once a driver has began creating a profile for a temporary driver they must set specific settings in order to save the driver

Incase of emergency, the Tesla owner has the ability to send the driver a message through the car and/or end their access

Low-Fidelity Wireframes

Low Fidelity Testing

  • Wireframes and tasks made sense to users

  • Tesla’s UI was recognized in wireframes

  • Questioned what information could be viewed while vehicle is parked

  • Users liked the different setting options

Style Tile

High-Fidelity Prototype

Select exact time and dates before sending access to your vehicle

Create unique driver profiles for friends or family

Watch and receive live updates from your temporary drive

Easily access previously saved drivers

Send messages directly to the car’s screen from your phone

Usability Testing Results

Findings

  • Users had an easy time navigating through the prototype

  • Users found similarities between Tesla application and the prototype

  • There were a couple prototype connection issues

  • Users asked for an automated message choice when asked to respond to an alert

  • Users enjoyed the feature and hope to see something similar in the future

Revisions

  • Fixed connection issues in prototype

  • Adjusted the prototype to be more interactive by adding color changing buttons when pressed

  • Added an automation message choice for users when receiving an alert

Tesla Share:Final Design

Task #1: Add a new temporary driver

Task #2: Send temporary access to driver

Receive an alert and send a message to temporary driver