Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 19/08/2026Here's what we've been up to these past months! A whole new design language for Rivian, across the vehicles, web, mobile, and even down to our internal tools. We put together a little something to celebrate the hard work that went into every last pixel. 0102
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 24/05/2026Went for a ride to get my mind off work and… oh, hello 😍 071
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 07/04/2026I get a lot of designers reaching out to me curious about what it's like to work in the car industry, and how to get there. So I wrote down all of my advice: www.theturnsignalblog.com/how-to-becom...theturnsignalblog.comHow to Become an Automotive UX DesignerA comprehensive guide to building a career in automotive UX design, from getting started to landing your first role. 132
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 30/03/2026Claude one shotted the migration from Gatsby to Astro of my blog, zero mistakes. Threw in a little redesign for the fun of it! www.theturnsignalblog.comtheturnsignalblog.comThe Turn SignalThe Turn Signal is my personal blog about automotive UX design and covers topics from in-vehicle UX design to research and general trends in the car industry 020
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 12/03/2026Two months at Rivian and it already feels like so much longer. R2 is going to be a special car, so much exciting stuff in the works! 250
Reposted by Casper KesselsDrew Smith @drewpasmith.com · 05/03/2026Yes, that’s right kids: theres a new episode of Looking Out - The Podcast! It’d have to be something pretty special to bring Joe and I out of semiretirement and the interior of the Ferrari Luce is nothing if not… um… special… Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! open.spotify.com/episode/5yZW...podcasts.apple.comLooking Out - The PodcastDesign Podcast · Updated Bi-monthly · Connecting the dots across mobility, design, and culture. The partner show to Looking Out - The Newsletter. 182
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 13/01/2026I've joined Rivian! I'll be working as Lead Designer focused on Autonomy and I couldn't be more excited to help shape the future of driving! Just arrived in the Bay Area so say hi if you're around! 3160
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 04/01/20263 years ago, I didn't see a single BYD in Brazil. Now they're everywhere. BYD uses Android without Google services, and interestingly, every Uber driver I've talked to has been to "a guy" who unlocked the system to sideload Waze and other apps instead of using CarPlay or AA. 020
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 03/01/2026I salute the gentleman who is keeping his 164 alive in Brazil 110
Reposted by Casper Kesselsmichael @banovsky.com · 24/12/2025This deserves 305,879,123 more views, wowowowowowowow youtu.be/f22vd9nfCOUyoutu.beTHE ALFA – One of the Rarest Alfa Romeos and the Man who Raced itYouTube video by By Design 12210
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 18/12/2025A simulator study measuring cognitive load does not say much about safety. It’s super hard and expensive to actually study this, and explaining why is difficult because people have strong feelings about it. Touch screens probably impact safety but there is no good research yet about it. 000
Reposted by Casper KesselsScott Jenson @jenson.org · 07/12/2025Yesterday, I noticed a table view with a hover highlight that just felt "flickery." Sure, it worked. It's even what we expect. But inspired by Amber Case and her "Calm Technology" manifesto, I wondered if there was a way to make this simple, even trivial, interaction feel more analogue and calm. 1202
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 13/11/2025Language learning apps never properly match my level or pace, so I spent an evening vibe coding a Portuguese verb-conjugation trainer tailored to how I learn. Wild how fast you can build something that works better than existing apps. 010
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 28/10/202560 euros for what?! Why stop there, why not make the seat optional as well! It's only a 70K car... 130
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 24/10/2025Today I learned that carmakers can’t agree on which way the seat icons should face. BMW is so confused they use both directions in the same system. Obviously the only correct way is how Tesla and Rivian do it! 010
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 19/09/2025You know you are in Germany when there are rules on how to hang towels 230
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 11/07/2025My experiment with generative UI continues, now adding theme customization! 030
Reposted by Casper KesselsMarcin Wichary @aresluna.org · 09/07/2025I wrote something new! It’s a UI design history essay about Mac’s Control Panel, and it uses emulation in some… maybe new and maybe interesting ways? aresluna.org/frame-of-pre...aresluna.orgFrame of preferenceA story of early Mac settings told by 10 emulators. 2433191
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 07/07/2025Congrats to NIO for being the only carmaker to design big touch buttons, and making them look great at the same time. Applying mobile design patterns to cars doesn't work. The gestures, although hidden, are also really helpful while driving! 140
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 05/07/2025One step closer to a fully customizable instrument cluster with generative UI! ChatGPT now creates custom React components based on mock vehicle data. Next up having it create custom UI themes! 040
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 01/07/2025I’m playing around with the idea of using LLMs to create a fully personalized instrument cluster UI. Still totally insane to me that you can build the foundation for something like this in just 30 minutes with ChatGPT. 020
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 26/06/2025It’s wild seeing this car, and then working daily with European car brands that used to set the standard for innovation but are so stuck in outdated processes and risk-averse culture that they’ll never be able to adapt. youtu.be/9IMIDQOQzf4?...youtu.beXiaomi YU7 Review - China's Hottest EV Just Got 200,000 Orders in 3 MinutesYouTube video by Inside China Auto 130
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 24/06/2025It’s been crazy long since my last blog post but after I got the new Peugeot 3008 in the rental car lottery, I finally found the time to write down my thoughts. It’s super impressive in terms of hardware, but the software can’t quite match it. www.theturnsignalblog.com/a-ux-review-...theturnsignalblog.comA UX Review of Peugeot’s New Interior: When Design Ambition Meets Software RealityDoes Peugeot's software match the excellent hardware? 010
Reposted by Casper KesselsAnts @dressupforflying.bsky.social · 22/06/2025Not the biggest issue right now, but Dutch continues to not be a serious language 1144622601
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 18/06/2025Some days I think the car industry is slowly starting to get software, then Nissan ships this. How?! 000
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 27/05/2025Experimenting with some storytelling to show how I created my travel map style 101
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 26/05/2025It genuinely baffles me how many carmakers mess up steering wheel controls. Obviously volume should be up/down, and playback left/right! Peugeot decided playback is up/down. And naturally, pressing up moves down your playlist to the next song. 330
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 21/05/2025Google finally created a Figma Design Kit for designing Android Auto/Automotive apps! www.figma.com/community/fi...figma.comCar App Templates Design Kit | FigmaGet your app moving and ready for Cars with components and templates to start building you app’s in-car UI. This kit includes a variety of components, templates, and dashboards provided by the Androi... 070
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 20/05/2025This is UI that shipped in a new car in 2025. Not sure what’s worse: that nobody noticed, or that nobody cared to fix it. 110
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 17/05/2025This has been my rental for the past week. The interior is full of quirky design decisions—some clever, some… less so. Will probably do a deep dive for my blog! 110
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 15/05/2025This is probably the biggest news from the CarPlay Ultra launch. Some carmakers who initially rejected CarPlay Ultra may now reconsider their decision 021
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 01/05/2025I’ve been designing my own map of a recent hike in Mapbox Studio. It’s been surprisingly fun to work with different geodata and tweak it endlessly. It turns the trip into something you can explore again, more than a static photo album. 030
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 01/04/2025What if iPadOS supported CarPlay? Great use for an old iPad! 140
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 30/03/2025Mapbox Studio is really underrated as a design tool, it's super fun to design custom maps and you can really tweak a lot! 160
Reposted by Casper KesselsLukas Oppermann @lukasoppermann.com · 24/03/2025I'm a sucker for smart solutions instead of focusing on what is trendy, and this post by @casperkessels.com hits a nerve: buff.ly/4i06eLQ Sometimes all touch is not the solution and we have to go back to old-school haptics, but with a new spin on it.buff.lyThe Subtle Art of Designing Physical Controls for CarsPrototyping a concept for simpler, physical climate controls 051
Reposted by Casper KesselsBram Bos @brambosofficial.bsky.social · 19/03/2025Automotive UI Prototyping with real car data In this blog post I'll explore how designers can use Figma, Protopie and RemotiveCloud to create Car HMI prototypes combining interactivity with real car data (live or pre-recorded).medium.comAutomotive UI prototyping with real car dataUsing ProtoPie, RemotiveCloud and Figma to bring car UIs to life 081
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 17/03/2025These cars are just so cool but totally underpowered. If I would be stupid rich, I would commission a Singer-style restomod of one of these, but I'm inbetween an air-cooled 911 engine or a complete EV retrofit 010
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 06/03/2025When you see how large carmakers manage software projects, it really makes you wonder how they were ever able to build a car 360
Reposted by Casper KesselsJonny H @poppop.studio · 05/03/2025This is absolutely outstanding and I can't wait to use it when I'm working in Seville next week 021
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 04/03/2025What if you could explore Wikipedia on a map? A little project I've been building with a friend over the past months! wikiexplore.org 1112438
Reposted by Casper KesselsAuke Hoekstra @aukehoekstra.bsky.social · 20/02/2025BYD is going to put self-driving as a free feature in all cars. Starting with cars as cheap as 9000 euro! What we are seeing is what any futurist worth his salt was predicting all along: that self driving will become cheap and ubiquitous. www.straitstimes.com/business/com...straitstimes.comBYD to put driver-assistance features in most of its cars for free to challenge rivals in ChinaThe move is part of a bid to challenge Tesla and domestic rivals in the country’s cut-throat EV market. Read more at straitstimes.com. 95213
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 16/02/2025Really enjoying the 5x camera on iPhone 16 Pro, especially in combination with @halideapp.bsky.social & @usedarkroom.bsky.social 0150
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 11/02/2025My article is live and I'm quite proud of this one! Over the last weeks I have been playing with a rotary dial with an embedded display to try designing better in-car climate controls. Physical interfaces are much harder but really fun to bring to life! www.theturnsignalblog.com/the-subtle-a...theturnsignalblog.comThe Subtle Art of Designing Physical Controls for CarsPrototyping a concept for simpler, physical climate controls 4407
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 11/02/2025New study on the effect of driver aids on crash risk: - Lane keep assist: -19% - Driver monitoring systems: -14% - Automatic emergency braking: -10.7% - Adaptive Cruise Control: +8% - Cruise Control: +12% No data on speed limit alerts though. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...sciencedirect.comRethinking Advanced Driver Assistance System taxonomies: A framework and inventory of real-world safety performanceIn this review, we assess the real-world effectiveness of ADAS! (ADAS!) in preventing vehicle crashes. We propose a new, data-driven framework of safe… 2193
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 05/02/2025It’s a long shot, but I went ahead and submitted Enzo’s Legacy for Site of the Day www.awwwards.com/sites/enzos-...awwwards.comEnzo's Legacy - Awwwards NomineeExplore the rich history of Ferrari with Enzo's Legacy, an interactive timeline showcasing every model in Ferrari's iconic history. 140
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 03/02/2025Getting close to a final version of my exploration of physical climate controls with haptic feedback. The article will follow soon! 1200
Casper Kessels @casperkessels.com · 02/02/2025There's cool, and then there's driving-a-Stratos-on-a-Sunday-morning-in-mid-winter-in-the-city cool 1171