Calmdrive, Intelligent system to prevent road rage

Three questions to the project team

What was the particular challenge of the project from a UX point of view?
The key UX challenge was supporting a driver’s emotional regulation without adding distraction. Calmdrive detects early stress through sensors, but turning this biometric data into a safe and intuitive intervention required careful decisions about timing, feedback, and cognitive load. Another challenge was designing an interaction that felt genuinely calming. Research showed that generic audio was ineffective, so loved ones’ voices were used—a personal but sensitive element that needed to be delivered in a subtle, non-intrusive way. Finally, visualizing heart rate and stress data in the app required simplifying information and increasing credibility, which led to refined dashboards and clearer alerts.

What was your personal highlight in the development process? Was there an aha!-moment, was there a low point?
My biggest “aha” moment came when I tested the prototype and saw a driver’s heart rate and stress level drop the moment a loved one’s voice played. It proved that a simple, human connection could achieve what complex systems could not, and it validated the core idea of Calmdrive.
The lowest point was the long struggle to achieve reliable sensor detection. After dozens of failures and constant recalibration, the system finally recognized early stress consistently. That breakthrough turned frustration into confidence and shaped the final direction of the project.

Where do you see yourself and the project in the next five years?
In five years, I hope Calmdrive will move beyond a prototype and become a practical tool that drivers can actually use. I want to refine the sensors, improve accuracy, and develop the app so it can offer more helpful guidance based on real driving data. I also see opportunities to connect the system with car makers, insurance companies, or wearable devices to make early stress detection a normal part of driving safety.

For myself, I want to keep building products that solve real problems in daily life. Calmdrive taught me how meaningful design can be when it directly helps people stay safe and calm, and I hope to continue working on projects that have this kind of clear, everyday impact.