CoMove: Reimagining Mobility as a Social Experience for Gen Z
Thesis, Jan 2025 - Mar 2025
Overview
CoMove redefines ride-sharing for Gen Z by integrating AI-driven social matching to transform shared mobility into a platform for organic, interest-based interactions.
I conducted extensive research and strategic UX design to create the system and experience for CoMove to foster real-world connections while ensuring safety, personalization, and efficiency.
Timeline
Jan - Mar 2025
Role
UX Researcher, UX Designer
PROBLEM SPACE
Mobility as a Missed Social Opportunity
Gen Z’s relationship with transportation is undergoing a major shift. They are:
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Driving Less
Only 25% of 16-year-olds had a driver’s license in 2020, compared to 43% in 1997 (McKinsey).
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Prioritizing Sustainability
91% prefer eco-conscious brands and shared transit (PDI Technologies).
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Seeking In-Person Connection
Despite being digital natives, Gen Z seek meaningful in-person connections (Stanford Report).
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Concerned About Safety & Affordability
Public transport feel unsafe or uncomfortable, while private vehicles are often expensive.
RESEARCH
Understanding the
Modern Mobility Landscape
01
Research for the Future Trends of Mobility
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The evolution of mobility preferences and experiences among Gen Z
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The future trends of mobility in the urban context under political, economic, social, technological, and legal perspectives
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The potential for experience design to compensate for traditional ownership with enhanced public experience while creating meaningful connections
02
Focused Research for Gen Z’s Social preferences
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Existing and relevant technology and services such as ride-sharing services and social platforms
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Gen Z’s social paradigm, what they are looking for in social connections and how they connect with people
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Gen Z’s mobility preferences under the social context, how Gen Z interact with others in the transit setting
KEY INSIGHTS
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Gen Z value the journey just as much as the destination.
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Gen Z are environmentally conscious and economically pessimistic.
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One of the core reasons for Gen Z to take any form of transit is to socialize.
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Safety and affordability drive Gen Z away from traditional car ownership.
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Gen Z has a unique “modular belonging” approach to community.
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Despite being digital natives, Gen Z desire in-person socialization.
HOW MIGHT WE
bridge the gap between affordable shared mobility and desired private vehicle experiences by transforming shared transit experiences into opportunities for meaningful social connection?
02
Focused Research for Gen Z’s Social preferences
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Interview with Industry Experts (n=4)
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Interview with Gen Z Users (n=5)
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Survey with Gen Z Users about Mobility Preferences (n=14)
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Survey with Gen Z Users about Social Preferences (n=15)
KEY INSIGHTS
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The social preference of a user is on a spectrum, so options should be given to adjust it per-context.
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Common interests and hobbies are the easiest and fastest way to start a connection.
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Users prefer spontaneous conversations started by shared interests or destinations instead of forced socialization.
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Users are usually more comfortable socializing in a group with friends or a friend’s friend.
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It is easier to form new connections through group activities like games.
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Users prefer individual control for their own space, but hesitate to adjust shared environment settings through direct requests.
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Safety is a key need and concern for the users.
Gen Z’s Main Purposes for Social Connection
1.
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Shared Experiences and Activities
2.
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Intellectual Stimulation and Growth through Conversations
3.
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Finding a Sense of Belonging and Identity
DESIGN SOLUTION
CoMove:
Connect people, places, and purpose.
CoMove is a Robotaxi ride-share service with
Context-Aware Matching
Optimized Social Experience
Destination Exploration
Community Architecture
ONBOARDING
The First Move
The onboarding process of CoMove ensures every ride is tailored to user preferences, social behaviors, and interests by capturing these data:
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interests
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expertise
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topics they want to learn about
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conversation style
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social intentions
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When the profile is set up, riders can join interest-based communities, mark their favorite destinations, and rate their familiarity with the city for better local discovery suggestions.
BOOKING A RIDE
More Than Just a Ride
CoMove’s ride scheduling system is designed for flexibility, personalization, and safety, ensuring users can plan their trips efficiently while prioritizing their preferred level of social interaction at any time.
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Users can choose between:
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Regular Commutes
Set recurring routes and schedules for daily travel.
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Scheduled Rides
Book a ride in advance for a specific date and time.
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Immediate Rides
Find a ride on demand with instant matching.
Before each ride, users can:
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Choose their social preferences ("Open to Chat" or "Quiet Mode").
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Adjust their matching preferences (“friends first”, “new connections first”, "match with a circle").
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Invite friends or wait for responses before finalizing the ride.
PRE-RIDE
Before You Meet
CoMove’s digital experience is designed to facilitate natural, meaningful in-person interactions—not replace them. The system provides subtle digital cues and structured social opportunities to reduce awkwardness, foster organic conversations, and enhance the shared ride experience while respecting individual comfort levels.
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​Pre-Ride: Setting the Stage for Connection
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Who they’ll be riding with (profiles, shared interests, past ride interactions).
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Conversation icebreakers to create common ground before the ride.
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Destination highlights (events, places, or insights related to the trip).
IN-RIDE
Building Connection
in Transit
In-Ride: Subtle Digital Facilitation Without Disruption
Shared In-Vehicle Screen:
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Common interests and shared circles among riders to naturally spark conversations.
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AI-powered topic suggestions that align with group dynamics.
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Location-based insights as the car passes notable landmarks or co-riders' recommendations.
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Shared activities including games, watch party, and music jam for longer rides.
Riders can
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indicate interest in a new topic
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request a change in ambiance via the app.
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save or bookmark destinations
POST-RIDE
Turning One Ride into Lasting Connections
CoMove extends the ride experience beyond just the commute into lasting social connections and meaningful discoveries. Through post-ride prompts, users can stay connected with co-riders, build their social circles, and curate their own mobility-driven experiences. Post-ride feedback and ratings help the algorithm optimize matches for future rides.
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FEEDBACK & RATING
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Rating (1-5 stars).
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Quick tags (e.g., “Great conversation,” “Love this crew,” “Great recommendations”).
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Write verbal feedback.
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Report safety concerns or boundary violations.
POST-RIDE PROMPTS
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Add co-riders to friend list
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Join co-riders' circles
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Wishlist discovered destinations
SOCIAL MANAGEMENT
Building a Network Beyond the Ride
CoMove is more than just a ride-sharing platform—it’s a dynamic social ecosystem with ongoing engagement, community building, and organic social interactions. CoMove allows users to connect, participate in interest-based circles, and curate their own mobility-driven social networks.
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SOCIAL NETWORK
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Friend list with group option for users to choose which group to share their plans with
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See where their friends are going or their recommendations
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Join their friends' scheduled rides
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Interest-based communities (e.g., “Concert-Goers,” “Downtown Professionals,” “Food Hunters”)
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See what's popular in a circle
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Recommend destinations in circles
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Receive engagement reward like badges and status ranking with positive interactions
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"Do no match again" list
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DESTINATION DISCOVERY & ENGAGEMENT
Finding Your Place
CoMove isn’t just about getting from point A to B—it’s also about helping users discover, share, and experience places in new ways. Through AI-driven destination discovery and smart push notifications, CoMove connects users with places they love, trending locations among their social network, and exclusive local experiences, making transit a gateway to exploration.
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DESTINATION RECOMMENDATION THROUGH
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Friends (recommendations, plans, popular places wishlisted)
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Circles (recommendations, trending in circle, most visited) ​
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Search and Filter (local hidden gems, cafes, etc.)
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PUSH NOTIFICATIONS TO INSPIRE ENGAGEMENT
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Limited-Time Offer at wishlisted places or recommendations
AI alerts users when places they saved have discounts or exclusive deals through local business partnerships.
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Your Friends Are Visiting/Wishlisted [Location]
Get notified when friends plan trips to a place you've wishlisted, making it easy to join in.
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Event-Based Travel Suggestions
Discover concerts, pop-ups, and seasonal experiences happening near you.
BRANDING
MATCHING ALGORITHM
Comove Finds the optimal match for you through
BUSINESS STRATEGY
PRICING
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Implicit price rate system
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Subscription plans for commuters, pricing based on regular route
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Loyalty rewards
SERVICE INTEGRATION
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Consistent CoMove experience across vehicle types and providers
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Allow vehicle manufacturers to integrate CoMove services
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Standardized hardware components for easy retrofitting
PARTNERSHIP
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Entertainment providers (e.g. Spotify, Netflix, Jackbox, Headspace)
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Universities and corporations
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Local businesses
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Residential buildings or districts
MARKETING
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​Partnership with festivals and events
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Temporary communities for event or conference attendees
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Seasonal campaigns like winter holiday lights tours, summer beach rides, etc.
USER RECEPTION
User Testing and Validation
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16 Gen Z participants aged 19-25 located in Los Angeles, New York, Georgia, New Jersey, and Paris
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Presented with prototype interfaces and service concept
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Given scenarios to evaluate as themselves using the services
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Collected verbal feedback, System Usability Scale (SUS) score, and Net Promoter Score (NPS)
RESULTS
SUS: 83.44 (Excellent)
NPS: 75 (Excellent)
"The matching algorithm makes me feel secure, like there’s little risk and high chance of meeting great people."
---- Student, 23, Savannah
"I like the setting you chose too, like how the physical environment and the digital blends together for the best social outcome."
---- Student, 24, New Brunswick
I think this could be really popular among younger generations; it offers good incentives for people to keep using it."
---- UX Designer, 25, Atlanta
LEARNINGS
A Designer’s Reflection
My journey as a UX designer on this thesis project has been deeply rewarding. Exploring the intersection of mobility and social connection, I learned that the most impactful experiences emerge when design decisions are rooted in human needs, not just technological advancements.
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KEY TAKEWAYS
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Transportation as a Social Canvas
Initially, our research focused on efficiency and cost, but Gen Z’s behaviors revealed something deeper: a desire for meaningful human connection. This realization shifted our approach from optimizing efficiency to orchestrating encounters, ensuring every interaction felt natural and intentional.
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Balancing Digital & Physical Presence
Digital cues needed to enhance, not dominate, physical presence. Through user testing and iterations, I refined how the digital screen acted as subtle bridges to organic discussion, rather than scripted experiences.
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Ethical AI & Social Matching
Designing CoMove’s AI-powered social matching raised critical ethical questions: How do we bring people together responsibly?
I focused on prioritizing safety, control, and genuine compatibility, ensuring that AI-driven experiences respected human boundaries rather than manipulated them.
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Perhaps most significantly, this project changed how I see myself as a designer. I no longer think of UX as simply creating features, but rather as architecting experiences and relationships.
CoMove began as an exploration of how people move through cities, but it evolved into a deeper investigation of how people move through each other’s lives, and how thoughtful design can create the conditions for meaningful connections along the way.
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