Designing the user interface for a machine for servicing automobile air conditioning.

The client approached us to design the user interface for their brand new machine for servicing automobile air conditioning systems. Not an usual job we would get every day. In order to do this we needed to learn what this strange machine really does and how it works. We also had to understand what the problems and needs of professional auto-repair workers were.

Behr (now MAHLE Behr GmbH) is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of original equipment for engine cooling and air conditioning in light vehicles and trucks. Whether heavy-duty commercial vehicles, luxury sedans, SUVs, vans, midsize or compact vehicles – Behr develops innovate, finely tuned thermal management systems for every type of vehicle you could imagine.

The previous version of this machine had no GUI and UX was not good enough. The current version, called Behr ACxpert 1000a, has a 7-inch TFT touchscreen. The graphical interface we designed makes it easy to operate, with clear displays of all relevant process parameters. You could compare this machine to a (slightly more complicated) washing machine... You connect it to the car and run automatic or manual programs to test or service the air-conditioning systems in various vehicles. And it just works.