Built with Axure RP in 2015, with all animations hand-coded—no Lottie, no Framer, just pure UX grit.

Seamless Banking Integration for Ford Cars

Designing the future of in-vehicle finance with real-time access, multi-user support, and voice-powered control—all embedded into Ford’s next-gen smart panel.

 

Problem

Car dashboards are evolving rapidly, but finance tools haven’t kept up. Ford partnered with Banco do Brasil to explore new ways of integrating mobile banking into the driving experience.

The challenge?
Design a secure, intuitive, and voice-accessible banking feature for a moving vehicle—without adding distraction or complexity.

Outcome

We delivered BB SYNC: a high-impact feature that allowed users to pair their bank account to their car panel, enabling real-time balance display, voice navigation, screen-lock protection, and multi-car/multi-user compatibility.

Role

Senior UX/UI Designer

Timeline

4 weeks

Team

Sr. UX Designer (me), 2 Jr. Designers, 4 Developers, 1 Systems Analyst, 1 Product Manager

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My Role

As Senior UX Designer, I led the entire design process from the ground up—balancing technical constraints with user safety, clarity, and delight. 

Working closely with Ford’s analytics and Banco do Brasil’s user data, I shaped an experience that felt invisible, useful, and human-centered—right where drivers needed it most.

UX strategy and user flow architecture

High-fidelity prototyping in Axure and Photoshop

Voice-command mapping and interaction design

Design validation through usability testing

Seamless integration planning for iOS + Android

Challenge. Insights. The Idea.

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The Challenge

How can we securely synchronize the Banco do Brasil app with Ford's car panel while ensuring a user-friendly and safe experience for drivers?

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Research & Ideation

Ford provided a wealth of user analytics, which we combined with Banco do Brasil's customer data. This fusion of insights allowed us to identify key user behaviors and pain points, informing the development of our core personas.

Defining the Core Functionality

Our research revealed a key user need: real-time bank balance display. From there, we identified a set of features that would define the user experience:

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Bluetooth pairing

A seamless connection between the app and the car panel.

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Multiple User Support

Enabling access for family members with shared vehicles.

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Multi-Car Compatibility

One user, multiple vehicles.

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Voice Command Integration

Hands-free access for enhanced driver safety

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Screen Lock

Prevents unauthorized access and protects user data.

Empathy. Insight. Action.

Discovery

Reviewed Ford’s in-car interaction data.

Analyzed BB’s mobile app usage trends.

Conducted heuristic evaluations of comparable integrations (Tesla, Apple CarPlay)

Design

Defined flows for initial pairing, session re-authentication, and voice query use cases.

Created prototypes simulating live account sync & car interface behavior.

Designed for multi-platform (Android + iOS)

Validation

Ran usability tests with simulated driving conditions.

Validated voice command efficiency and fallback states.

Iterated based on developer feedback + Ford’s UX standards

Results. Reach. Recognition.

Key Outcomes

Result

The prototype was a game-changer. It secured final approval from Ford and paved the way for the development of BB SYNC, an innovative feature that redefined banking convenience. 

Final Thoughts

Designing for motion is never easy. You’re balancing accessibility, safety, and zero margin for error. But this project proved that, with the right research and collaboration, even something as complex as banking can become part of a smooth, everyday driving experience.

It was fast, it was fun, and it showed just how far UX can go when we design beyond the screen.

🍕 Yes, we earned that pizza party.

Claudia BB Team
Claudia drinking coffee in Seattle

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