Experience Design in Transport

User interfaces form one part of the user experience as a whole. In order to assess what kind of interfaces and designs would be appropriate for Hyperloop, it would be beneficial to observe and analyse current and former interfaces and experiences seen in transport systems of the past. 

Concorde 

Concorde was the second supersonic passenger jet airliner ever to be built (after the Russian Tupolev Tu-144). Though Hyperloop only just achieves the speed of sound at 760 mph (compared to Concorde's 1,354 mph), it will be the first major ground based transport to come close to this speed, so it seems relevant to look at the kind of experience passengers got with Concorde and whether or not it corroborated the experience of the aircraft being cutting-edge, exciting, 'futuristic' and extremely fast and convenient. 

Note: Photos provided by Business Insider 

The narrow, long fuselage and interior reinforces the impression of speed, as does the relatively limited number of seats. Though there are no backseat displays, it must be noted that Concorde was retired in 2003. It could also be argued that supersonic aircraft allow for such speeds that in-flight entertainment isn't as necessary as on traditional long-haul flights, though in modern and emerging systems such as Hyperloop, digital interfaces are less about necessity and more about providing a beginning-to-end positive experience. 

One of the reasons for the downfall of Concorde was its extremely high tickets prices, made so by its extremely high production costs. This meant that only very affluent individuals were able to afford tickets, and so the in-flight experience was adjusted to reflect this. Though it is easier to create the feeling of luxury with a well-designed physical product such as a champagne menu, it's arguable that in the long term a digital equivalent is now more appropriate, especially for a system such as Hyperloop. Digital interfaces allow us to eschew disadvantages such as a propensity for damage, getting lost or dirty, resources used for continuous production etc. and to create a more exciting and futuristic experience. 

In-flight information such as speed and altitude immediately reinforces how convenient and/or advanced the transportation method is. It would be particularly relevant in the case of Hyperloop to include such information and more e.g. GPS location/accurate ETA/live view? 

Economy Class vs Business Class vs First Class

in subsonic aircraft 

In contemporary subsonic flights, the difference in the cost of the ticket doesn't affect the speed of the aircraft, but rather the in-flight experience. It decides whether you get a small screen or a medium one or a large one. Whether it's bordered by white plastic or gold metal. Whether your seat controls are physical, digital or non-existent. Whether you can adjust the tint of your window or not. Whether you sit in a row with many other people or have your own independent cabin. 

Business Class Seat Controls

Economy Class Displays and Seating

Emirates First Class 

Environmental Mood Lighting can have a great impact on passengers' perceptions of the vehicle and the experience of travelling within that system.  

"Different colours are perceived to mean different things. For example, tones of red lead to feelings of arousal while blue tones are often associated with feelings of relaxation. Both of these emotions are pleasant, so therefore, the colours themselves procure positive feelings in environments. The chart below gives perceived meanings of different colours in the United States."

Functional (F): fulfils a need or solves a problem

Sensory-Social (S): conveys attitudes, status, or social approval

Trains

Though trains are often given a bad reception due to high prices, infrastructure issues and their inability to scale with demand, many people enjoy the experience of travelling on them due their best-case scenario being a medium speed, relaxed, self-contained journey. Often, particularly if you're going somewhere new, the act of looking out of the window can be a positive and entertaining experience for a substantial length of time. Some Hyperloop systems may have transparent surfaces that can be looked out of, but most probably wont at this point, and so an alternative user experience must be created. Perhaps a personal interface could create an even better experience than a window.