Discovering Wheele

Project Description

Our project went through many iterations, but ultimately we focused on supporting the independence of older adults who can no longer drive and lack caregivers to assist them. We spent a lot of time deeply considering how to make this challenge more manageable and accessible for everyone. That’s how we created Wheelie — a service designed to empower elderly individuals by giving them the freedom to maintain their independence.

Problem

With all of this in mind, we kept coming back to one central question — something meaningful to solve, something worth answering, and something we truly cared about. We wanted to explore how autonomous vehicles could specifically support individuals seeking greater independence, especially those who feel confined, trapped, or socially isolated. Our goal was to ensure that no one would feel limited or left out because of their level of mobility or freedom. The data supported our assumptions, so we formulated a clear, simple design question: "How might we use autonomous vehicles to help elderly individuals become less dependent on their caregivers?" With this guiding question, we set off on the journey to create Wheelie.

Insights

Jamal represents a very real and rapidly growing group of older adults navigating a world that’s changing faster than ever. Through our extensive research, we uncovered several key insights. As people age, mobility becomes a significant challenge. Physical limitations start to emerge, technology evolves quickly, and in many cases, it simply becomes easier to rely on public transportation. Approximately 10% of seniors living in urban areas use public transportation, with 20% relying on it specifically for medical appointments. The impact of these mobility challenges is clear: increased social isolation, reduced physical activity, and a heavier dependence on family members or caregivers for basic errands and appointments. These aren’t just minor inconveniences — they have a real and lasting effect on quality of life. Jamal, like many older adults, shared that driving means freedom to him. However, he also feels the societal pressure to give up his keys years before he personally feels ready. On average, older adults outlive their ability to drive safely by 7 to 10 years, which creates an urgent need for alternative transportation solutions to help maintain their independence. This is the core of the problem we set out to solve. We asked ourselves: how can we preserve that sense of independence while still ensuring safety? We didn’t want individuals like Jamal to have to completely rely on someone else’s schedule, like Martha’s, just to manage their daily lives. With that challenge in mind, we continued developing Wheelie.

Solutions

For our project, we designed Wheelie, a transportation solution that empowers older adults to maintain their independence through the use of autonomous vehicles, while keeping accessibility, flexibility, and caregiver connection at its core. Our final product is a thoughtfully designed mobile application tailored specifically for elderly users. The UI features large text, bright colors, and high contrast for readability, along with optional voice interaction that allows users to complete every core task hands-free—from onboarding to daily planning. For example, if a user like Jamal says, “I’d like to be at physical therapy by 9,” the app automatically calculates the necessary pickup time and provides a confirmation step before booking. Once plans are confirmed, users can easily share their itinerary with caregivers, who then have access to a live, updating view of their schedule, allowing for passive monitoring without fostering a sense of dependence. We also prioritized flexibility. Users can easily adapt plans by tapping a Snooze button to delay a pickup or simply selecting Next Stop when they’re ready to move on, ensuring seamless, real-time adjustments with minimal effort. To measure success, we focused on three key outcomes: increasing adoption compared to current rideshare solutions, ensuring users complete their itineraries successfully, and minimizing caregiver intervention. Our design emphasizes autonomy, simplicity, and peace of mind for both users and their support networks. Future considerations include developing the app’s backend infrastructure, estimating development costs, choosing an appropriate AI model, and improving the physical accessibility of the vehicle itself. Wheelie is designed to provide freedom, flexibility, and safety — giving older adults control over their mobility once again.