00:00:04: Welcome

00:00:04: to the Human and Technology Podcast.

00:00:07: This podcast is for anyone who develops, distributes or uses technology For all those that always have a feeling that technology overwhelms or dominates them... ...for everyone wants know how to deal with technology in everyday life.. ..For Anyone Who want's understand what technology does do us And How we can get our lives back!

00:00:33: is for those who want to make technology sexy.

00:00:37: All the product developers, designers, UX-UI professionals, product managers, CTOs and CEOs... And it's for you!

00:00:47: My name is Dr Peter Oreska.

00:00:50: my friends call me Dr Peter.

00:00:53: I am your host ...and i'm happy

00:00:56: that are here.

00:01:00: Hello hello and welcome to this episode of Human Technology Podcast.

00:01:11: A little bit of housekeeping, I had originally planned that this episode is the last one before my summer break.

00:01:25: then i realized that early next week number one conference on automotive HMIs and so I'll make in two weeks from now another episode dealing with the event.

00:01:50: So keep it's on your playlist, have a closer focus.

00:01:57: there will be more episodes before making a little summer break the car HMI.

00:02:09: Today, I'm continuing this little series about what are next big challenges in automotive HMI?

00:02:19: I made one episode which was a very generic overview on other biggest challenge that i see and realized each and every of these challenges is worth an unknown episode.

00:02:37: And this is what I'm doing, so i talked about multimodality and... ...I talked about the liquid HMI as I call it.

00:02:52: HMIs growing into other instances outside of the vehicle.

00:02:59: Now number three are intercultural HMIS.

00:03:08: Based on an experience I had a few months ago at an auto show where i was sitting in A couple of different Chinese cars.

00:03:21: I realized that the HMIs, That these cars have will probably not work In Europe.

00:03:30: and this started my automotive HMI thinking And I see this as one of the biggest global, industry-wide HMI trends that is existing at the moment.

00:03:49: We have to tackle it or we have work on and I want a little broader view not only with China but also more.

00:03:59: just like in a global basis there are more markets an automotive than just European market Chinese market maybe US market.

00:04:09: There is even more.

00:04:11: Automotive has gone to South America, it's going to Africa, Southeast Asia and all these are different cultural areas.

00:04:24: And yeah this what I want talk about.

00:04:28: so this podcast episode focuses on the challenge a rapidly growing challenge The cultural adaption of your machine interfaces.

00:04:44: Starting with the examination on how Chinese automotive manufacturers shall adapt their HMIs for European users, and from that what does this teach us about future of intercultural user experience in a more generic way?

00:05:09: As vehicles and software become increasingly more and more global.

00:05:16: One question becomes more important than ever, how do we create technologies that feel human fitting to humans everywhere in the world?

00:05:32: And today I'm working myself from a more generic view on start with the myth of universal user rough sketch of a platform strategy that will allow us as an industry to efficiently develop global solutions.

00:06:00: Let's start with the myth of the universal user, technology development often starts With an implicit assumption and it was very popular in the past.

00:06:14: It's not the only assumption anymore in the industry, but it is still there.

00:06:23: People users humans are fundamentally the same everywhere.

00:06:29: Yeah if a feature works from a technological point of view If it is somehow intuitive then that will succeed In one market and it will succeed in every market.

00:06:46: And this assumption is one of the biggest misconceptions in HMR design.

00:06:55: While human cognitive capabilities are largely universal, The way people perceive evaluate use by apply technology Is strongly influenced By culture.

00:07:18: Culture shapes how much, for example control we want to retain.

00:07:24: How much uncertainty We tolerate?

00:07:29: How much we trust automation and in general what role does technology play In my personal everyday life.

00:07:47: consider digital assistance.

00:07:51: some users appreciate proactive recommendations as a helpful support, while others perceive exactly the same behavior as intrusive.

00:08:04: As paternalistic, as bossy and that the technology is identical... The interpretation of the technology on the user's side And vehicles, vehicles are global products.

00:08:27: Since many years automotive OEMs produce cars for many different markets with minor adaptions so it is a car that's more or less a global product and this challenge of handling users from satisfying uses regions from different cultures with different backgrounds becomes increasingly relevant.

00:09:02: The automotive platform, software architectures digital servers are designed for a global worldwide deployment but they meet users with very different expectations habits and values.

00:09:25: the key question is not whether an HMI is objectively, whatever this means.

00:09:34: Objectively good or bad?

00:09:36: The real question is who it's designed for and human-centric design cannot stop at understanding human beings.

00:09:48: It must also understand the cultural environments that shapes our uses.

00:10:00: A quick look at why Chinese HMIs are different.

00:10:08: Anyone entering a modern Chinese vehicle quickly notices that many design concepts differ from what European drivers have been used to, have been accustomed for the past decades and Chinese cars.

00:10:32: large displays dominate interiors, touchscreen interactions replace physical controls voice assistant take over more and more tasks.

00:10:42: And digital services are deeply integrated into the overall experience.

00:10:52: These differences aren't merely based on design decisions.

00:10:57: they're reflections other societies for which these systems were created.

00:11:07: Over the past two decades China has undergone an extraordinary digital transformation, mobile payments QR codes, digital identities super apps collecting different sub-sup functions in one app, they become deeply embedded and everyday life.

00:11:38: When my Chinese colleagues were always surprised when I had a look at my smartphone how many different apps was having?

00:11:48: So there are very low number of apps because on single app collects synchronizes different function.

00:12:00: So activities that Europeans and US Americans often perform across multiple applications are handled with a few highly integrated ecosystems, app ecosystems in China.

00:12:20: As a result Chinese consumers often expect seamless connectivity from their vehicles.

00:12:32: The car is viewed not as an isolated product, but it's another component of a larger digital lifestyle that the overall digital ecosystem so its part off.

00:12:49: I have my smartwatch i have tablet and smartphone in my car.

00:12:53: they all belong to same digital ecosystems reflect the same digital lifestyle.

00:13:03: There's also, in China a strong openness towards technological innovation and new technologies are often approached primarily through the lens of with view or with mindset off opportunity.

00:13:26: New technology is always an opportunity rather than a risk.

00:13:35: And combined with comparatively young customer base, so the Carbuyer Base... The first time Carbuyor Base in China is far younger then Europe or

00:13:47: U.S.,

00:13:49: and combine that into widespread familiarity of digital services.

00:13:55: This creates nice grounds A well-set ground for highly connected, feature rich HMI's.

00:14:09: From a European perspective some of these vehicles can appear like smartphones on wheels.

00:14:15: from Chinese perspective that represent a logical extension of existing digital habits.

00:14:29: Neither approach is better or worth.

00:14:32: They simply reflect different user expectations and different social backgrounds.

00:14:43: And this is where cultural adaption has become a strategic charge for Chinese manufacturers entering Europe, A system that delights users in Shanghai may not create the same response.

00:15:08: European users think and act, feel differently.

00:15:16: The challenge for Chinese OEMs or Chinese car manufacturers in Europe is not that European customers dislike technology.

00:15:27: rather they feel see experience evaluate technology in a different way.

00:15:39: greater emphasis on transparency, predictability and control.

00:15:48: They want to understand why a system behaves in a certain way what consequences the actions have?

00:15:57: And how they can intervene if necessary.

00:16:02: this is particularly true.

00:16:07: Vehicles are not only consumer products, but also safety-critical systems.

00:16:13: I mean they're also safety critical systems in any other part of the world.

00:16:18: It's a matter off.

00:16:19: how are they perceived?

00:16:22: How have they seen and felt?

00:16:28: Automated features such as lane keeping parking assistance predictive navigation generally appreciated As long as the behavior remains understandable, trust tends to erode when systems appear to act independently without clear communication.

00:16:58: Without logical reasoning European users also tend values structured information architectures and consistent interaction models.

00:17:16: More features in Europe do not automatically translate into a better user experience, In fact excessive complexity often creates frustration.

00:17:32: So the key question is not what can this system do but rather how easy it to accomplish my task.

00:17:47: Another tall point is data privacy, it presents creates an important difference between Chinese markets and European markets.

00:18:01: many European users view personal data as something that should remain under their control.

00:18:09: transparency regarding data collection in data usage forms part of the overall user experience.

00:18:20: So if I have a feeling that my data is misused, If it's sold to someone else... It influences the entire User Experience and creates a negative emotion.

00:18:38: And a similar dynamic applies to artificial intelligence To AI-powered functions.

00:18:47: features assistance, proactive recommendations and adaptive behavior can create of course a significant value but users in Europe vary greatly.

00:19:06: how much initiative they expect from intelligent systems.

00:19:13: How active shall it be?

00:19:14: How much should I approach me?

00:19:16: which way should i approach?

00:19:19: Yeah, well one user perceives as helpful.

00:19:23: Oh this system does a lot for me another one may experience this is Unwanted negative As an interference For Chinese manufacturers.

00:19:40: the lesson is clear Europe does not necessarily demand less technology.

00:19:48: it demands A different relationship between technology and users.

00:19:57: Users want support without losing control, intelligence without infriction and intrusion ,and convenience with out loosing transparency.

00:20:18: So what does Europeanization really mean?

00:20:22: When discussing the adaptions of Chinese vehicles for Europe many people think translating manuals integrating local services, complying local European Union regulations.

00:20:37: And those steps are necessary and no doubt about this but they're not sufficient.

00:20:45: Europeanization is not only about translating language.

00:20:50: it's about adapting experiences.

00:20:56: take automation as an example.

00:20:59: modern systems increasingly make decisions They provide recommendations, they anticipate user needs.

00:21:09: They seem to do things that are no better than us and from an engineering perspective these capabilities can be absolutely impressive.

00:21:20: Many European users immediately ask a different question Why is my vehicle doing this?

00:21:29: What was the basis of it?

00:21:31: Why is the vehicle making this specific decision?

00:21:35: Why isn't it making a specific

00:21:37: suggestion?".

00:21:40: This creates growing need for explanations.

00:21:45: Users want to understand what information system used, why it reached particular conclusion and what alternatives remain available.

00:21:59: The balance between automation & user control becomes critical.

00:22:04: While technology should reduce effort, users not necessarily want to delegate every decision.

00:22:15: Many European user customers prefer the ability to confirm, modify or disable, control automated vehicle and system behaviors.

00:22:35: The same principle applies HMI design vehicles packed with features and services, they do not automatically create a superior user experience.

00:22:50: as functionality grows.

00:22:53: As feature numbers grow the ability to reduce complexity becomes more important.

00:23:04: The debate around physical controls illustrates this point perfectly.

00:23:11: Many manufacturers have embraced touchscreen only strategies, a growing number of users continue to value tactile controls for frequently used features or safety relevant functions.

00:23:31: so there is what I call the revenge on the analog.

00:23:37: We as humans wear analog beans and we shall touch something, we want to feel something.

00:23:46: This smooth glass surface of a touchscreen is not very well fitting human needs.

00:23:58: And this difference reflects... As I said the revenge on the analog.

00:24:07: So not every digital solution creates additional value.

00:24:12: Sometimes a physical button, or physical rotary push device remains.

00:24:22: the better interface is that it's the better solution for certain users.

00:24:30: Europeanization means translating technological possibilities into experiences that are appropriate in the respective culture.

00:24:47: Success will not belong to OEMs that understand how technology works, but success is through those who understand.

00:25:17: And how do we do this?

00:25:19: Localization is the way and I want to introduce here, the term cultural user experience.

00:25:31: So that discussion on localization extends far beyond the automotive industry.

00:25:37: for four decades companies have localized products by translating interfaces adapting measures In units, in US it's Fahrenheit and Europe is degrees Celsius.

00:25:54: It's miles versus kilometers its gallons vs litters.

00:25:59: And then you take the local regulations The European Union Regulations of Chinese Regulations U.S.

00:26:08: Regulations adapted to that.

00:26:12: All absolutely required All absolutely necessary, all totally good.

00:26:16: but this is no longer enough today.

00:26:20: And then the next step I call cultural user experience.

00:26:26: people do not evaluate technology only based on functionality.

00:26:33: users evaluate whether it feels familiar understandable appropriate and these perceptions are deeply influenced by cultural norms, by expectations.

00:26:47: By use cases... ...by map culture in general.

00:26:53: The user in Germany France or Sweden may expect something fundamentally different from an intelligent assistant From an adaptive HMI than a user in China or South Korea.

00:27:11: the technology maybe identical but their reactions to these technologies, how they are used.

00:27:18: How their experienced and how they're accepted can be totally different.

00:27:27: This shifts the central design question from is this system usable?

00:27:37: Does this experience fit cultural expectations of its users?

00:27:44: This perspective becomes particularly important in the age of artificial intelligence.

00:27:53: Intelligent systems more and more make decisions, they provide recommendations that perform tasks that were previously reserved for humans.

00:28:08: so with automation ,with artificial intelligence we grab right into the core relationship between car & driver And we moderate there We change it.

00:28:23: This of course has consequences.

00:28:26: And the success of AI technologies, so for adaptive HMIs of automation... AI based automation that the success depends not only on what systems can do and their capabilities but also whether behavior aligns with cultural expectations.

00:28:53: The challenge is no longer simply to create intelligent systems, the challenge is to create systems whose intelligence feels culturally adapted.

00:29:09: That's appropriate according to culture.

00:29:13: As a result OEMs may increasingly rely on globally standardized technical platforms while tailoring user experiences to regional preferences.

00:29:25: We already see similar approaches in streaming services and social networks, e-commerce platforms.

00:29:33: Automotive HMIs will probably heading the same direction.

00:29:41: Understanding cultural differences will therefore become a powerful competitive advantage.

00:29:50: the most technologically advanced solution will not necessarily be the most successful.

00:29:58: The winning solution, in my point of view... ...will be one that feels most natural to users who use it....to humans whose most fitting context users are in!

00:30:21: For the future how can we do this?

00:30:24: Global platforms, local experience.

00:30:28: This is in one sentence the one thing I want to sketch here and i'm fully aware that this a very generic overview im doing now And it will not solve every problem.

00:30:43: But just as mindset The automotive industry is moving more towards global standardized software platform.

00:30:55: They are driven by software-defined vehicles, by cloud connectivity.

00:31:00: Centralized computing architectures... ...artificial intelligence algorithm and it's absolutely okay.

00:31:09: from a technical perspective.

00:31:11: this logic is convincing.

00:31:13: It's absolutely ok!

00:31:14: It's perfect.

00:31:17: Share platforms reduce cost they accelerate innovation they simplify maintenance all these good things.

00:31:27: Now, a paradox emerges.

00:31:31: Technology becomes more global while user expectations become more local.

00:31:40: Humans users people don't experience platforms.

00:31:45: they experience interfaces.

00:31:48: They experienced HMI's human machine interface.

00:31:53: This is the connection point.

00:31:57: The future challenge It's not to develop different vehicles for every market, but... ...to create the appropriate experiences.

00:32:12: For each and every user.

00:32:14: User group.

00:32:15: Cultural.

00:32:21: That is it of our today!

00:32:23: Thank you for spending time with me.

00:32:26: I hope that you are able take something from us

00:32:28: And

00:32:29: do something for yourself.

00:32:30: that will be forever For an unknown exchange, you will find me on LinkedIn and

00:32:36: my websites

00:32:38: beta-resco.com And

00:32:42: beyond

00:32:42: minus HMI dot de.

00:32:46: write me an email under

00:32:47: podcast

00:32:48: at Beyond Minus HMI Dot E. Do it next time take care and stay healthy.