Designing the connected experience for MATTER EVs

MatterVerse is the connected companion app for Matter Motor Works’ AERA, India’s first geared electric motorcycle.
It transforms a high-performance EV into a living, connected system — translating complex sensor data into simple, meaningful insights for riders.

As the Product Experience Designer, I led the design for the app’s end-to-end rider experience — from connection and telemetry visualization to remote control, navigation, and feedback systems.

The mission: make every digital interaction feel as tangible and trustworthy as the ride itself.

Background & Opportunity

Matter built a breakthrough EV platform — but the intelligence was trapped inside the machine.
The opportunity was clear: give riders a window into that intelligence through design.

We weren’t just building a dashboard. We were building the digital layer of ownership — one that connects rider, vehicle, and brand in a seamless feedback loop.

How it Works:
The AERA constantly collects data from its sensors — battery health, speed, GPS, temperature. That data moves through the Matter Cloud, syncing in real time with the app. Commands from the phone — like “lock vehicle” or “push route” — travel the same path in reverse.

Bike → Cloud → App → Rider — and back again.
Every interaction lives within this loop, forming the foundation of Matter’s connected ecosystem.

Problem Definition

Electric vehicles come with a paradox — more intelligence, less visibility.
Riders felt disconnected from what their machine was doing once the helmet was off.

We heard recurring questions in early testing:

• Is my bike charging properly?

• Can I trust remote lock to work?

• Why can’t I see how efficiently I ride?

Our challenge was to translate raw telemetry into emotional confidence — to make technology feel human, visible, and calm.

Vision & Hypothesis

We envisioned MatterVerse as a companion, not a control panel — an interface that speaks the language of clarity and anticipation.

Our hypothesis:

If we design for trust over control, riders will feel closer to their machine and to the Matter brand itself.

Design principles that guided us:

• Transparency builds confidence — every state should communicate clearly.

• Motion is language — feedback should feel alive, not decorative.

• Information needs emotion — data only matters when it’s relatable.

Design Process

The goal wasn’t just to design an app — it was to shape a connected experience around confidence and clarity.

Each feature followed the same arc:

1. Define the rider persona

2. Map their moments of interaction

3. Prototype micro-interactions

4. Refine for trust and readability on the move

Research → Ideation → Testing → Iteration

• Rider interviews revealed a need for reassurance, not control.

• Low-fidelity flows tested for clarity during motion or distraction.

• Iterations prioritized tactile, confirmable interactions.

Key Design Decisions

Ride Insights — Designing Meaning into Motion

Telemetry isn’t just numbers — it’s a rhythm.
We designed a data layer that tells a story: distance trends, ride efficiency, and personalized patterns. The challenge was balancing precision with personality, surfacing meaningful trends riders could understand at a glance.
This also allowed rides to be shared, turning performance data into motivation.

Navigation to Smart Dashboard

Pushing routes from phone to bike needed to be frictionless and distraction-free.
We focused on clarity, minimal attention, and zero cognitive load, creating a flow that feels almost invisible — a quiet interaction with big impact.

Find My Vehicle

Remote Access & Controls

Designing trust into invisible interactions.
When a user taps Lock or Unlock remotely, the interface must feel immediate and alive — even when the action happens kilometers away. Micro-interactions became the emotional glue here: subtle haptic patterns, real-time feedback, and visual affirmations that the system is listening.

Launch & MVP Learnings

We launched with core capabilities — live status, remote control, and ride insights — prioritizing feedback over feature volume.

Key learnings post-launch:

• Riders valued peace of mind over analytics.

• Real-time visual feedback significantly reduced support tickets.

• Smart notifications (e.g., charge reminders) boosted daily engagement.

The most-used feature wasn’t flashy — it was simply checking the app to “make sure my bike’s okay.”

Evolution & Future Direction

MatterVerse is evolving beyond ownership into an intelligent mobility ecosystem — connecting people, vehicles, and services seamlessly.
Next steps include:

• Predictive insights using AI-powered telemetry

• Smart watch and wearable integration

• Community features for riders to share, compare, and grow