Evaluating the impact of the center control touch screen of new energy vehicles on user visual imagery and preferences

In recent years, with the changes in the international energy situation, new energy vehicles (NEVs) have become an essential choice for people to travel. The center control touch screen (CCTS) of NEVs is an important part of the user's interaction with the vehicle, which is quite different from a conventional fuel vehicle. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct research on the CCTS of NVEs. This study integrates multiple research methods to investigate the visual imagery and user preferences for CCTSs in NEVs. The results of the study show that the horizontal version with small rounded angles without a border is the optimal design solution for the visual imagery dimension, whereas the vertical version with large rounded angles and a border is the worst design solution in terms of the visual imagery dimension. The design without a border can increase users' preference and purchase intention to a certain extent. The results of the above study can effectively reflect the potential user demand for NEVs' CCTSs, which also has positive implications for enhancing the overall user experience of NEVs.