Clay Carpenter Design Portfolio

Digital Dashboards

A series of in-vehicle dashboard concepts exploring how digital displays can create excitement without distraction, from real-time and time-lapse tracking to off-road, ballet, and performance moments.

Client

Ford Motor Company

ARTIST

Clay Carpenter

Designing the Next In-Vehicle Experience

Digital dashboards have transformed the car into a flexible, updateable product, where experiences can be refined and personalized in just a few taps. As Innovation Lead for Team Aspire at Ford Motor Company, I ideated and shaped new concepts for both stationary and driving moments, grounded in user research that was either provided to the team or uncovered through my own discovery. Once a concept proved valuable, I translated it into clear storyboards and video mockups to align stakeholders and communicate the experience with precision. Partnering closely with developers, we brought the ideas into the buck for real-world evaluation, where I ran early user studies to confirm we were meeting true customer needs. From there, we built working prototypes for human-centered testing and iterative refinement, turning early vision into experiences that could stand up to real drivers in real conditions.

Doggy Dash Interactive Dashboard

The Doggy Dash interactive dashboard started with a research insight I couldn’t ignore. I read about how playing fetch can lower stress by boosting feel-good chemicals and reducing stress hormones. While working on ideas that would become the cornerstones to the Calm digital experience, I wondered if that same emotional reset could translate into the vehicle. I pitched the idea, prototyped it, and early UX testing confirmed the hypothesis, people genuinely enjoyed the simple act of tossing a virtual ball to a digital dog. From there, I expanded the concept into a customizable experience where users could choose different dogs and swap between a variety of toys, turning a playful moment into a repeatable, calming interaction.

Movement, Captured

From calm, beautiful moments to live location camera feeds from around the world, and adventure dashboards that track your vehicle’s movement, I explored what would make drivers genuinely excited to use a car’s digital display. Each concept was designed to add value without pulling attention away from driving, using clear hierarchy, lightweight interactions, and unique visuals. The goal was simple: subtle enough to stay out of the way, but meaningful enough to make the dashboard feel alive and worth coming back to.