In the early 1990s the Japanese car parts conglomerate, Zexel, established an innovation team in Silicon Valley to develop an automotive navigation system – a technology, product and service category that was then in it’s infancy. The team consisted exclusively of engineers – software and hardware – and business development members.
Praxis was asked to help develop the user interface, including in an after-market in car interface head-unit. Together, the design and engineering team developed much of the user experience and interaction elements that are now the standards in navigation systems – graphic AND spoken turn-by-turn directions, simple four button controls, data sorting and auto-fill search.
Praxis performed user research including in car evaluation of system prototypes and raised awareness of the need to build and test prototypes regularly as development of features progressed.
In 1995 the product was introduced to as the Hertz Neverlost system which set the standard for in car navigation systems for the next decade.
