Improve HMI for ride-hailing efficiency in Didi’s D1

The D1 electric vehicle is revolutionizing the ride-hailing industry. This article introduces the D1 HMI design improvements that aim to boost operational efficiency and address common challenges for drivers, along with the technology behind what makes D1 the game-changer in the market.

An EV designed for ride-hailing

D1 link is an electric vehicle designed by Didi (in collaboration with BYD), specialized for ride-hailing. It is the first purpose-built EV in China that caters to both B2B and B2C markets. This vehicle offers passengers, drivers and fleet management companies a customizable and efficient EV option that meets the demands of modern transportation.

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Dynamic Heat Maps

Use real-time data to highlight high-demand areas, reducing driver idle times.

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Intelligent Trip Assignment

Efficiently manages trip assignments based on battery levels and traffic prediction.

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Battery in the Cloud

Optimizes battery performance, predicts accurate consumption, suggests charging schedules.

Key design features Survey insights Tech behind design

Key design features

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Real-time demand view

Drivers can activate the heatmap view on the dashboard, which uses color gradients to visualize real-time demand. This features reduces idle time by highlighting high-demand areas.

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Recommended order

A recommended order will be highlighted once the driver goes online. This suggestion is calculated based on current demand and predicted traffic. It displays essential earnings and battery consumption for ride-hailing drivers, helping them make informed decisions.

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No out-of-range orders

The system takes into account the remaining mileage and filters out out-of-range orders. This helps drivers manage their charging anxieties and reduces the order cancellation rate.

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Reserve a charging spot

Drivers can easily access the charging tab and reserve a spot at in-network charging stations. This reduces time finding available fast chargers, ensuring they can stay on the road longer.

Survey Insights: Range anxiety is the number one issue for EV drivers

Research link on 500 Didi-registered EV drivers shows that range anxiety is cited as the primary concern, with 90% of respondents highlighting it as a significant issue preventing them from using EVs in ride-hailing operations.

One driver, Li, shared his experiences: “If it weren't for the license plates, I wouldn't bother with an EV. The constant worry about running out of charge and the hassle of finding charging stations is just too much.” Another driver, Zhang, noted, “In the winter, the range drops so much that I won’t think about using the heater, which sometimes means I end up with frostbite on my feet.”

The survey also revealed that 85% of full-time drivers, who work between 8 to 13 hours daily, face significant challenges related to inaccurate battery predictions. Chen, another driver, stated, “Charging is a nightmare when waiting in long lines. In summer it takes forever to charge, and in winter it can’t even charge properly.”

In response to these insights, Didi has implemented advanced algorithms link to better monitor, predict, and prolong battery life, targeting at the core of charging anxiety. The design improvements in HMI include features such as intelligent trip assignments and scheduled charging, which take into account battery levels and charging station availability. We also took a user-centered approach, tackling at common challenges in driver’s usage, such as function redundancy, system structure complexity information privacy, and distraction minimization.

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Homescreen (old)

Display work-related information on widget on homepage.

Driver's Scene (new)

Hide work-related information on the homepage. Instead, separate ride-hailing information from daily use and display it only when the driver switches to the ride-hailing mode.

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Driver's app (old)

Displays shortcuts that redirect to functions.

Driver's scene (new)

Displays an organized view of functions and maps in the ride-hailing mode. Tasks like taking orders, choosing assignments, viewing demands and deciding routes can all be completed on one screen without the need to switch between apps.

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Arrive at Pickup Location (Old)

Displays direction, order, passenger information all at once.

Arrive at Pickup Location (New)

Prioritize passenger-related actions in the ride-hailing mode. Reduce distractions by preventing multiple threads of information and calls-to-action from appearing while driving.

Technology behind design

D1's smart recommendation algorithm link utilizes big data to predict ride demands and optimize order distribution. The system is based on a batch matching strategy, which forecasts the density of supply and demand within the next two seconds in a 1.5-2km range, and facilitates an intelligent match through global optimization. This intelligent assignment boosts the order response rate by 20% and adapts to traffic fluctuations during peak times, ensuring more than 90% of orders are responded to throughout the day.

As part of an EV fleet connected to the same network, D1 also benefits from centralized battery management link. Typically, an EV's battery may not reach its expected driving range due to factors like air conditioning use, road friction, weather conditions, and wind, which can reduce its range by up to 50%. Inaccurate battery predictions lead to at least a 5% increase in ride-hailing matching failures, while 85% of Chinese ride-hailing vehicles are EVs (as of 2023).

Compared to the built-in battery management systems of other EVs, the D1's cloud-based battery solution can gather data types at a rate ten times higher, monitor and store data throughout the entire battery lifecycle, and analyze data across all D1 vehicles. This extensive dataset enables the development of more accurate and effective battery prediction algorithms. Additionally, the connected batteries actively communicate with Didi's network of chargers link allowing drivers to book and secure charging spots 24 hours in advance. As the battery optimizes the electricity current curves and the power grid readies for energy transfer, it extends the battery life by up to 20% per vehicle and enhances grid transmission efficiency, benefiting the entire ride-sharing community.