Rebuilding VIDA's connected-vehicle app from scratch
Hero MotoCorp2024–Ongoing
- Product Design
- UX Research
- Design System
About
Hero MotoCorp Limited is an Indian multinational motorcycle and scooter manufacturer, headquartered in Delhi.
It has a market share of approximately 27.9% to 28.1% in the Indian two-wheeler industry. ‘VIDA’ is the Hero’s Electric Vehicle segment.
VIDA’s customer application pairs along with the customer’s electric vehicle, allowing the user to remotely control functionality and retrieve vehicle data.
This application (Version 2.0) brings a cleaner look, adds and improves functionality, and simplifies user flows.
Team
- Arul PraveenResearch
- AshrithaUX + Research
- AmandeepUX + Product Design
- MrinalMotion Design
- DevanshMotion + Graphic Design
1,00,000+
Downloads on iOS and Android
1.8 → 3.0 ★
Playstore rating within a year of launch
~4x
Service bookings through the app
40%
Fewer support requests
*Service and support figures from VIDA’s service team
Problem
20.5 million
two-wheelers sold in India, in 2024Almost none of the internal combustion vehicles have a customer facing application. So,
Why do electric two-wheelers need an application?
Gap
Electric Vehicles bring with them “Range Anxiety”
Charging stations are an emerging technology and finding them is challenging
Sometimes you may want to go the distance, but might be running out of juice
Lack of integration with rider’s lifestyle and ecosystem
The VIDA mobile application reveals key usability gaps that impact rider confidence and convenience, from unclear battery information and difficulty locating the parked scooter, to challenges in finding charging stations.
These issues contribute to “range anxiety” and hinder the overall ownership experience by making essential data and support harder to access when it’s needed most.
How Might We add value to an Electric two-wheeler ‘customer facing’ mobile application?
Where we started
Every feature was on the list. Almost none of them worked.
VIDA’s first companion app was built by an external agency to launch alongside the scooter. On paper it covered everything owners needed. In practice, it struggled to stay connected, showed data owners couldn’t trust, and buried basic tasks.
The problems ran deeper than the interface. Leadership decided to rebuild the app from scratch, and I joined the team in May 2024 to design it.
When we asked people what they thought about the old app.
“There’s too much going on with the app”
“I can’t find what I need in the app”
“This doesn’t work like I thought it would”
“This doesn’t work like I thought it would”
If the app can’t reach the scooter, nothing else matters
We spoke to 15–20 riders at VIDA showrooms, mostly existing owners, along with dealers and internal teams, and read through the app’s Play Store reviews.
Owners rarely separated complaints about the app from complaints about the scooter.
Like Maslow’s hierarchy, each layer depends on the one below it. The app has to connect before it can receive data, receive accurate data before its features can work, and work reliably before the experience and interface matter. A polished UI can’t rescue a broken foundation.
The old app had invested in the top of the triangle, a long feature list and a visual layer, while the base underneath didn’t hold. So we rebuilt from the bottom up.
Solution
Where design could make a difference.
Connectivity and data sat at the base of the problem, but fixing them fully needed changes at the hardware and product level, owned by the product planning, studio and hardware teams. That was beyond what the design team could change in the time we had. So we worked with what already existed. Weighing effort against impact, we focused on the top three
layers, and designed the features, experience and interface to make the most of the connectivity and data already in place. Alongside that, we worked closely with developers to get more out of the data the vehicle was already sending, and to work around the connection problems owners were running into.
Principles we introduced:
Mindfulness
Help riders stay calm and focused by reducing cognitive overload through simplified interfaces, timely feedback, and ride-ready summaries.
Assistance
Offer proactive, context-aware support from real-time service alerts to seamless access to roadside help or troubleshooting guides.
Discovery
Enable exploration by helping users find nearby charging stations, scenic routes, or EV-friendly locations tailored to their preferences.
Autonomy
Empower users to take control with personalized ride settings, self-service diagnostics, and decision-making tools that don’t require external input.
The updated application does the following really well:
Promotes awareness of
Battery levels
Be mindful of your battery percentage and health right from the app dashboard, easing your range anxiety.
Assist user navigate
through the city
Find the destination on your mobile application, push it to your vehicle’s dashboard in a few simple steps
Help discover nearby
charging stations
The ‘Nearby Charger Counter’ keeps you worry free, showing you all nearby chargers with the push of a button.
Enable users to customise
their riding style
The users have complete control over how their ride is customised. Need more range? Limit your speed to improve range, right through the app.
How did we achieve this?
We developed a context engine that understands what a user might need in a certain situation, greatly cutting down on the clutter visible on screen.
Vehicle Far + Vehicle Off
Vehicle Near + Vehicle On
Vehicle Far + Vehicle Charging
Other key screens and features
A contextual dashboard designed to surface the right information at the right time.
The VIDA app leverages Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cloud connectivity to determine vehicle proximity and charging status, dynamically adjusting the home screen experience. When the user is nearby, the app displays ride-ready information such as battery level and lock status; when the user is away, it surfaces ride statistics. During charging, the interface prioritizes charge progress, ensuring the experience remains focused and contextually relevant at all times.
Plan on the app. Ride with the dashboard.
Whether you’re navigating to a destination or the nearest charging station, the VIDA app lets you plan your route and send directions straight to the scooter’s dashboard. This allows your phone to stay safely tucked away, while you follow clear, turn-by-turn guidance on the vehicle designed for quick glances and minimal distraction while riding. Depending on their preference, users can navigate using VIDA’s built-in navigation or Google Maps.
Charging your VIDA, without the uncertainty.
The VIDA app helps you find nearby charging stations, view real-time availability, and reserve a charging slot in advance—so you’re never left searching or waiting. Whether you’re planning ahead or already on the move, the app ensures your journey includes a confirmed place to charge.
Analyze Your Ride Patterns for Smarter Usage
The VIDA app keeps a detailed record of all your past rides, offering clear visibility into distance traveled, energy consumption, and route efficiency. By understanding your riding patterns, you can make more informed decisions around charging, maintenance, and ride modes. It’s especially useful for work-related riders who need ride records for reimbursements or tax tracking transforming everyday trips into meaningful insights.
What changed, and what I’d do differently
Within a year of the first release, the Play Store rating rose from 1.8 to 3.0. Owners booked about four times as many services through the app, and support requests fell by around 40%, suggesting owners were finding in the app what they used to call about.
The rating has since fallen to 2.9, as new products and new features have been introduced. It’s a reminder that the app’s reputation depends on layers design doesn’t fully control.
If I did this again, I’d push for design to be involved earlier in connectivity and data decisions. We designed well around a weak foundation, but the biggest gains would have come from shaping it. I’d also instrument the app from the first release, so we could measure how owners use it directly, instead of relying on ratings and service team data.
Version
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