Although autonomous vehicles (AVs) are now a reality, promising a safer future by eliminating human error, their widespread adoption is blocked by significant public distrust. A recent UK survey, for example, found that 44% of people are wary of the technology, revealing a critical gap between engineering advancements and public acceptance. Current solutions focus heavily on technical safety and regulations, but often overlook the crucial psychological component of trust. This project addresses that gap by exploring how emotional engagement—a factor largely missing from AV design—can be used to build a stronger, more trusting relationship between passengers and their driverless vehicles. The core challenge we address is how to fill the void left by the human driver and design an experience that fosters a genuine sense of safety and connection.

When it comes to the user experience in self-driving cars, trust isn't just a feature—it's the foundation of the entire relationship. How can we feel safe and secure when we're not in control? To explore this paradox, I hosted a speculative workshop with passengers, asking one deceptively simple question: “What would make you truly trust an autonomous vehicle?”

From their reflections emerged the blueprint for ZooKA — a concept built not from engineering specs, but from human values. Four principles surfaced with clarity: Loyalty. Empathy. Etiquette. Personality.

• Loyalty: Users envisioned an autonomous vehicle as a devoted companion, dedicated solely to their journey and providing a sense of certainty and emotional protection.
• Empathy: A strong desire for connection emerged, with participants imagining a mutual, affectionate relationship with their AV, fostering a deep emotional bond.
• Etiquette: Trust is built on respect, so an AV should demonstrate politeness through greetings, understanding of social norms, and clear, non-disruptive sensory communication.
• Personality: Riders desired an AV with a unique character, including a name, learned preferences, a distinct driving style, and even its own "requirements" for passengers, making interactions feel like a partnership.

Now, let's walk through a real-world scenario to see how these four principles come together to create a truly trustworthy ride.

1. Choose Your Driver

Ordering an Uber can already feel stressful. Now imagine summoning an autonomous vehicle for the very first time. Who do you speak to? Where does it stop? How do you even enter?

ZooKA begins not with metal and code, but with identity. The first point of contact is not a machine, but a driver — zoomorphic, trustworthy, familiar in form yet novel in function. On the opening screen, users meet a collection of animal-inspired drivers, each with a distinct personality and driving style. A fox who is swift and precise. A turtle who is steady and calm. A dog who is loyal and warm.

This moment is more than decoration. It is transparency made visible. For people who have never trusted an AV before, it is the first bridge. Images, stories, and operational details form a narrative — a way to understand who will guide them before the journey begins. Every driver page becomes a miniature biography, balancing capability with character. The choice is not arbitrary; it is a ritual of trust, placing control into the user’s hands while allowing the vehicle to feel less like a stranger and more like a companion.

"Trust, after all, is built through first impressions."

2. Order a Ride

The ride-hailing journey is familiar. Maps, cars, fares — all of us have done it before. But when designing for autonomous vehicles, familiarity must meet reinvention. The principle is simple: reduce the learning cost. Keep the flow recognizable, but enrich it with clarity.

Dynamic pricing ensures transparency — no hidden surprises, only fair value. A simplified map reveals available vehicles and estimated arrival times, echoing the conventions of ride-hailing yet adding subtle refinements.

Here, the chosen driver becomes the anchor. Every element of the UI bends around that choice, personalizing the ride in both form and feeling. The result is not just a ride, but a tailored journey — an AV that feels as though it exists solely for you.

3. Finding Your AV

Crowded cities are not kind to clarity. A car arrives, but which one is yours? ZooKA reimagines this familiar pain point.

As soon as the vehicle reaches the designated parking spot, a parking-area view guides the user. A live 3D street view — generated by the AV’s onboard sensors — projects the exact position of the car. No guesswork. No wandering. Just precision, stitched seamlessly into the moment of arrival.

4. Beginning the Journey

The journey begins the moment you step inside. Here, interaction shifts from the purely visual to a multi-sensory dialogue: sight, sound, and touch converge. This is trust, built through experience.

At the center waits the driver’s physical avatar. In one scenario: Jerry, a loyal dog. He is not merely an icon on a screen, but a captain at the helm — guiding, listening, responding. Powered by conversational AI and informed by speculative workshop data, Jerry embodies the etiquette of a human driver. His tone is polite. His presence, reassuring.

Starting the ride becomes a ritual. A gentle pat on Jerry’s head. A simple phrase: “We are ready to go.”

Throughout the journey, users can request adjustments — temperature, route pacing, driving style — all through natural voice interaction. The familiar becomes futuristic, and yet strangely personal.

5. Ending the Ride

The journey closes not with a cold rating system, but with something warmer. Instead of tipping, users offer snacks — a gesture of gratitude, symbolic yet emotionally resonant. Feedback flows through voice, immediate and intuitive, feeding into a loop of learning. Each ride refines the driver. Each review reshapes the bond.

In this way, ZooKA evolves with its riders. The vehicle is not just a service, but a relationship — growing more personal with every journey.