Toyota Connected Europe

In the future, Toyota wishes to offer an even more seamless user experience to their drivers that matches current and future needs for electric driving. An experience that should enthuse digitally savvy drivers, but also be simple and safe enough for all other types of drivers. Knight Moves is coordinating the research across Europe, testing new concepts and user friendliness.

To obtain validated insights from users, we always aim for a setting that mimics reality as closely as possible. For instance, we use advanced simulators where we place users in a car replica. The drivers go through different scenarios while standing still with the "car", or conversely when they are driving it. With working pedals, steering wheel controls, a dashboard and a multimedia screen, we can analyse users' full cockpit experience.

Depending on the research objective, we test in different settings and use different tools. For instance, we drive with participants - for benchmarking purposes - with cars of other brands, use eye-tracking glasses and accurately measure participants' driving behaviour and user experience.

We go beyond just defining research insights. Each time we translate them into concrete design recommendations for the next iteration. In addition, we bring the research and design teams from the United States and Japan together for co-creation. This allows us to compare regional or cultural differences and act on them.

Over the past year, together with TCEU, we have been exploring the entire future cockpit experience for drivers. In 2022, we already conducted more than 100 concept and user tests in Belgium, France and Italy. Onboarding flows, connected experiences, navigation, temperature control, dashboard interactions, multimedia screen interactions and more were scrutinised through integrated research scenarios. These led to a validated digital experience that will be implemented in all Toyota and Lexus cars from 2025.

Because of this fruitful collaboration, Knight Moves will stay on in a continued partnership with Toyota Connected Europe. Together we can continue to ensure a seamless driver experience. We are already looking forward to shaping the car of 2028 together!