CATALYST
Future Work Truck Ecosystem
Conceptual 2030 work truck for trade workers, designed with General Motors and two transportation designers. I led the UX for the truck’s human–vehicle touchpoints: interior UI, dashboard and cluster, companion mobile app, personas and end-to-end user journeys.
Context
Skilled trades keep cities running, but their tools haven’t caught up.
Most work trucks are just storage on wheels: messy cabins, ad-hoc workflows, and constant context-switching between physical tasks, paperwork and digital tools.
GM Catalyst imagines a 2030 ecosystem where the truck, an AI-powered buddy robot (L.U.C.A.S.), and a companion app work together like a small, mobile workshop.
Current Challenges
The home-service and skilled-trade sector is shifting fast. Through research and trend mapping, I identified six key pressures shaping how future work trucks and their digital touchpoints must perform.
Labor Shortages – Fewer skilled workers mean tools and interfaces must reduce friction and boost productivity.
No Standardization – Inconsistent processes create safety gaps; UX needs to guide, simplify, and unify workflows.
Rising Customer Expectations – Clients want faster updates and transparency, pushing for cleaner digital touchpoints.
Higher-Valued Skilled Work – Technicians multitask across diagnostics, tools, and documentation; interfaces must lower cognitive load.
AI as Support, Not Replacement – Systems must feel reliable and helpful, surfacing information at the right moment.
Rapid Tech Growth – Smart homes and connected devices demand adaptable, future-ready vehicle and app ecosystems.
New Tech
Catalyst brings together a suite of advanced systems that transform the work truck into a mobile, intelligent workspace designed around real trade-worker needs.
AI Interface – Guides workers with code-compliant prompts and smart task support.
L.U.C.A.S. Robot – A wheel-driven assistant that carries tools, lifts platforms, and helps with elevated tasks.
SOCS System – Automated tool organization and cleaning built directly into the vehicle.
Level 5 Autonomous Driving – Self-parking and scheduled navigation to job sites.
Personal Site Scan – Customers scan issues at home; the truck receives data before arrival.
Modular Workstation – An expandable mini-workshop for prep and quick fixes on the go.
Adaptive Storage – Safe, modular storage for materials and hazardous e-waste.
3D Printer – Print essential parts directly on-site.
Biometric Sensors – Monitor fatigue and worker health for safer operations.
User Personas
Designed around real trade-worker behaviors, these personas shaped the ecosystem, helping define what belongs in the truck, the dashboard, the companion app, and L.U.C.A.S.
Pain Points
Challenges that repeatedly slow workers down and informed how Catalyst streamlines tools, tasks, and on-site decision-making.
User Journey
A step-by-step look at how Catalyst, L.U.C.A.S., and the companion app support a real workday.
Companion App
A mobile-first workflow that lets clients scan issues, submit service requests, and receive real-time updates. Requests are routed directly to available Catalyst drivers, who can review, accept, or decline based on proximity and load. Designed for clarity and speed, the app minimizes friction, reduces downtime, and improves the overall service loop.
Dashboard UI
A centralized control hub for navigation, job management, AI interaction, and media. The dashboard adapts to user preferences with modular widgets, providing critical information at a glance without clutter. Its layout supports safe, ergonomic, and efficient workflows—keeping trade workers focused while on the move.
Smart Cluster
A precise, real-time display system built for driving and on-site awareness. The cluster offers an adaptive navigation view that highlights turns, hazards, and traffic, paired with diagnostics and AI-driven prompts. Fully customizable, it ensures essential information stays clear, legible, and front-and-center in any work condition.
Exterior Design
Shaped through rapid sketch exploration, the Catalyst exterior blends functional geometry with compact proportions, creating a future-ready work truck built for tight urban sites, heavy tools, and all-day durability.
Interior Design
Developed through iterative form studies, the Catalyst interior prioritizes ergonomics, clear sightlines, and a modular command layout, creating a focused workspace where driving, diagnostics, and on-site coordination flow naturally.
Outcomes
Even as a conceptual project, the UX work led to clear shifts:
A coherent ecosystem: truck, robot and app treated as one service, not three separate objects.
Safer, calmer workflows: critical information prioritized in the cluster and dashboard; risky actions gated with clear feedback.
A storyboarded user journey that made it easy for stakeholders to imagine Tim’s entire day, not just a shiny hero render.