Electrification Smart Delivery
Strategic Project Highlights (An overview)
Problem Space
Mobile technology has played a critical role in helping Amazon scale its logistics and delivery operations at an unprecedented pace. But as the world’s largest online retailer continues to grow, the limitations of mobile phones have become increasingly apparent for work efficiency and driving safety, highlighting the urgent need for better tools that improve both work efficiency and driver safety, especially at Amazon scale. And ultimately, reduce carbon footprint.
What and How
To support Amazon’s Climate Pledge and the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, the Rivian Electric Delivery Van (EDV) was introduced as a strategic fleet innovation. I was brought in to lead the design initiative in close collaboration with Rivian—owning two core areas: the embedded delivery software automation and the physical in-vehicle user experience.
As a vertically integrated, connected vehicle, the EDV offered us a unique opportunity to rethink last-mile delivery and raise the bar on driving safety and comfort. We expanded the design scope to integrate smart automation that follows the transporter's natural mental and physical workflow, reducing cognitive and physical effort for drivers, and improving safety across the entire delivery flow. Another pivotal innovation involved the use of a dual-display system, which enabled us to redesign the wayfinding experience and created a seamless workflow between mobile devices and the in-vehicle system.
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Project initiation: Q4 2020
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Today, over 30,000+ EDVs are on the road (US, Canada, & EU), with a goal to reach 100,000 by 2030.
Impact
This step change design reduces transporter’s mental and physical cognitive load throughout 9 hours on the road, and the co-design ADAS UX with Rivian, elevated driving safety to our transporters, they can trust that the technology is working for them and go home earlier to spend time with their family.
Reduced delivery interaction steps by 46%, we made delivery experience more intuitive by understanding the workflow and to simplify through technology that is trusted and loved:
Interaction flow improvement per a stop delivery.
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Transporter mobile: 13 steps/stop
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New Rivian EDV: 6 steps/stop
Significantly improved driver sentiment and satisfaction.
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Transporter mobile UX rating before EDV: 2.7/5
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Initial EDV launch rating: 4.5/5
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Current rating: 4.75/5 with continued iteration and additional features in rollout
Transporter anecdotes:
“I can’t go back driving normal delivery vans with mobile phone anymore”
“The Rivian electric delivery van is ideally designed for parcel delivery and offers user-friendly driving experience. The spacious cabin and ergonomic design bring high level of comfort and safety during trips, particularly positive features include good visibility, easy operation and useful assistance system that make everyday work easier”
And?
This project reminded me that designing for scale isn’t just about systems—it’s about people. At 30,000+ electric vans, counting and tracking, every decision we made impacted thousands of transporters on the road every day. What they needed wasn’t more features, but less friction. They needed tools that work intuitively, reduce strain, and earn their trust through every mile.
Working closely with Rivian’s and internal cross-functional teams, I learned how deeply impactful cross-disciplinary design collaboration can be when aligned by shared purpose and vision. We weren’t just digitizing a workflow—we were reimagining the entire delivery experience from the inside out, grounded in empathy, ergonomics, and real-world constraints.
Most importantly, this work reinforced a core principle I carry forward:
Great design is invisible when it works, but unforgettable when it earns your trust.
I’m proud that this project has helped improve lives, not just metrics. And I’m excited to keep designing systems that elevate both performance and humanity—at any scale.
