UX research · Late 2021
Research Memo
European cab-over acceptance in the US market — Nikola Motors
- drivers across 2 trucks in a 16-day sprint
- 37
- participants reported knee pain from offset footing
- 3/5
- per participant exploring the truck
- 20–35 min
- of drivers willing to spend a night aboard the vehicle
- Majority
The research design
16 days, 37 drivers, 2 trucks.
In late 2021, Nikola Motors initiated a research sprint to explore driver opinions and the perceived utility of the European cab-over design in the U.S. market. The study focuses on key aspects such as accessibility, usability, comfort, and the application of the cab-over design across Over-The-Road (OTR) and Local Delivery scenarios. While this research requires the involvement of all actors in the logistics ecosystem, our team strategically chose to begin with commercial drivers.
The first step was the administration of the Nikola Motor Driver Survey to a local sample of drivers in the Phoenix metro area. This survey aims to capture local driver demographics and serves as part of a longitudinal data collection effort that will later be complemented with national driver data.
The second survey, called the Cab-over Satisfaction Survey, was designed to gather user feedback on specific vehicle features and characteristics through moderated tasks. This survey provides quantitative support to the qualitative insights gathered, with satisfaction scores on vehicle aspects such as ingress, egress, comfort, visibility, and livability. The data collected offers a comprehensive view of driver satisfaction and helps inform future design improvements.
A multi-step process was implemented to collect demographic, ergonomic, and task-related data, providing a comprehensive understanding of driver experiences and preferences.
Multiple camera angles were used to provide a complete record of participant actions, ensuring a thorough and detailed analysis of their interactions and behaviors.
*In the "Cab-over Satisfaction Survey," a Likert scale was used to gauge satisfaction with specific vehicle features. The structure followed this pattern: "After experiencing + (task/experience-related feature) the driver seat, + How satisfied are you with + (aspect feature) seat comfort." Participants rated their satisfaction on a 7-point scale, ranging from Extremely Satisfied to Extremely Dissatisfied. Beyond the standard Likert scale, I introduced additional functionality to capture qualitative feedback alongside the quantitative results.
This was achieved using display logic in Qualtrics, a survey creation software. If a participant selected a negative satisfaction option, they were prompted at the end of the survey to explain the source of their dissatisfaction. Similarly, if participants were extremely satisfied with a feature, they were asked to elaborate on their satisfaction.
The result of this approach was a qual-quant understanding of participant satisfaction, providing deeper insight into why they felt a certain way about specific aspects of the vehicle. This simple yet effective mixed-methods approach enriched the analysis and offered a more comprehensive view of user experience.*
Ingress Egress
*Offset footing is an internal term used to describe a footing designed to support a person's weight, positioned away from the center of more elevated hand supports. This offset shifts the body’s upward mass away from the footing and toward the dominant hand support, forcing operators to compensate with their less powerful arm muscles.
Experts identified offset footing as a significant contributor to physical strain. Specifically, three out of five participants reported knee pain after long work sessions, attributing it to the awkward placement of weight-supporting features.*
The graph below is representative of the Quantitative data collected through the use of the Likert Scale.
*Key Takeaways:
Each participant had between 20 to 35 minutes to explore both the interior and exterior of the truck, in addition to gaining practical knowledge through tasks moderated by the research staff. This hands-on time allowed participants to open every door, experience most features, and get a comprehensive sense of the available options within the presented package.*
*Key Takeaways:
Vehicle egress is often an athletic challenge, and not always an easy task for every driver. Many drivers opt to jump rather than step out of their truck, increasing the risk of injury.
Egress presents a key opportunity for design improvement, allowing us to enhance both the value of our vehicles and the overall driver experience.*
*Key Takeaways:
The majority of focus group participants found vehicle ingress to be unsatisfactory, citing various factors such as offset footing, hand support placement, step size, non-slip grip, step alignment, steering wheel placement, and interrupted three points of contact as key sources of dissatisfaction.
Improving ingress design represents a significant opportunity, one that can greatly enhance both the quality of life and work experience for our drivers.*
The key finding
The shiny nugget at the end of a research exercise.
In every research effort, there’s a key piece of synthesis that stands out, an important finding around which strategies are built. While the clinic and subsequent synthesis revealed a range of reactions—delight, satisfaction, dislikes, and even concerns about safety—we uncovered a surprising insight: the majority of drivers would be willing to spend at least one night aboard our vehicle. At first glance, this may not seem significant, but industry experts believed that a bed of the size we could offer within our vehicle architecture would be insufficient for any driver. This discovery opens the door to a new product line within the existing architecture, challenging previous assumptions and expanding potential offerings.
In conclusion, this research provided valuable insights into both driver satisfaction and opportunities for design innovation within our vehicle architecture. From the detailed analysis of ingress and egress challenges to the unexpected finding about overnight stays, the feedback gathered from drivers has not only validated certain assumptions but also challenged long-held industry beliefs. The discovery that a compact bed could still meet driver needs opens the door to a potential new product line, demonstrating the importance of listening to end-users.
Moving forward, these findings will serve as the foundation for strategic design improvements and product development, ensuring our vehicles provide both functionality and comfort, while also addressing key pain points. By integrating this feedback into future models, we aim to enhance the overall experience for drivers, adding tangible value to their daily operations and quality of life.