3D HMI Visual Design for Smart Automotive Cockpits Based on Unreal Engine

LIU Diqiu; LI Weizhan

doi:10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2026.10.050

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Packaging Engineering ›› 2026, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (10) : 543-553. DOI: 10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2026.10.050

Design Intelligent Innovation·Smart Mobility of “Art + Transportation”

3D HMI Visual Design for Smart Automotive Cockpits Based on Unreal Engine

LIU Diqiu, LI Weizhan

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Abstract

To address the central tension between visual immersion and driving cognitive load in smart cockpit HMI (Human-Machine Interface) design, the work aims to explore the application of the Unreal Engine in 3D HMI visual design and reduce user cognitive load, optimize information hierarchy, and enhance aesthetic quality by leveraging its real-time rendering and high-fidelity capabilities, thereby constructing a synergistic design framework that harmonizes high-fidelity 3D presentation with the specific constraints of the vehicular environment. Grounded in Cognitive Load Theory and Situation Awareness, a 3D HMI design strategy based on Unreal Engine was established and a full-cycle workflow from conceptualization to prototype implementation was obtained. Comparative user experiments demonstrated that 3D HMI significantly outperformed traditional 2D interfaces in terms of task efficiency, error rate reduction, and subjective experience ratings, effectively lowering cognitive load while improving the efficiency of information acquisition. Ultimately, the 3D HMI design strategy based on the Unreal Engine can effectively optimize the human-machine interaction experience within smart cockpits, providing a novel technical pathway and theoretical guidance for future design practice in this field.

Key words

Unreal Engine / smart cockpit / 3D HMI

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LIU Diqiu, LI Weizhan. 3D HMI Visual Design for Smart Automotive Cockpits Based on Unreal Engine[J]. Packaging Engineering. 2026, 47(10): 543-553 https://doi.org/10.19554/j.cnki.1001-3563.2026.10.050

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