SilverBack2035 is a 2035 Chevrolet concept developed in collaboration with GM's California Advanced Design Studio, exploring how the next generation of Californian creators can move between outdoor immersion and digital expression.
CATEGOTY
Automotive UX
MY ROLE
UX/HMI Designer
TIMELINE
Jan - May 2026
TEAM
EXTERIOR DESIGN
Salar Seifizade
INTERIOR DESIGN
Adien Ramali
UX / HMI DESIGN
Reina Lee (ME)
Aurora Li
Overview
By 2035, creativity will play a central role in how Gen Z creates value, communicates, and shapes identity. Technology should support this expression while helping people fully immerse themselves in the moments they want to remember.
Design Challenge
How might Chevy support Gen Z creators to capture and share their experiences?
Solution
SilverBack 2035: IN & OUT — Dive In. Share Out.
SilverBack2035 reimagines the vehicle as an adaptive experience platform that gives users the freedom to choose how they engage with their surroundings.
Starting Point
We've all been creators, defining our own lifestyles.
Before diving into research, I explored my teammates’ interests, hobbies, and lifestyles to understand how their personal experiences could shape our vision for Chevrolet in 2035.
Secondary Research
I explored three key research areas.
California in 2035
01
Gen Z in 2035
02
Chevrolet Today
03
California 2035
Where Creativity Becomes Capital
As the creator economy expands and California remains a major creative hub, I envision a 2035 lifestyle where digital expression becomes increasingly integrated into how people live, connect, and create value.
Mobility
+
Unexpectedness
+
Spontaneity
Gen Z 2035
The Rise of the Creator Generation
As creative work and personal experiences increasingly overlap, content creation is becoming part of how Gen Zs envision their careers and express their lifestyles.
44%
Of Gen Z adults aspire to pursue content creation alongside a traditional job (25%) or as a full-time career (19%).¹
65%
Of surveyed Gen Z adults would consider leaving their full-time jobs if their creative work could financially support them.²
46%
Of Gen Z travelers share their travel experiences on social media.³
Morning Consult, 2025 Gen Z career research.
Canva / PureSpectrum creative side-hustle survey (300 U.S. professionals).
Skyscanner — Gen Z Travel Statistics & Trends (2026).
Chevrolet Today
Chevy as a Specialized Tool
Chevrolet vehicles are designed to adapt to a wide range of everyday needs, from commuting and road trips to camping, surfing, and outdoor exploration. Their versatility provides a foundation for imagining how utility could evolve to support the creative and experience-driven lifestyles of future generations.
Our Persona
Opportunity
SilverBack 2035: An Open Sandbox that Respects the Moment
Gen Z creators seek the freedom to explore, express themselves, and shape their own experiences. Yet the technology that enables creativity can also pull their attention away from the moments they want to remember.
User Scenario & Experience Highlights
Silver Lake Reset:
A 2-Day Escape for Gen Z Outdoor Explorers
Two Modes, Depending on the Moment
Detox Mode
Minimal and atmospheric mode that reduces digital noise and cognitive load.
Expression Mode
Content-first and dynamic mode that enables users to create and share their experiences in real time.
A Space That Adapts Inside & Out
A flexible interior that transforms for different activities, while Environmental Sync brings the surrounding atmosphere into the cabin for a seamless connection with nature.
Capture the Moment, Stay in It
Effortlessly capture meaningful moments through integrated cameras and automatically generated highlights, without interrupting the experience.
Stay Connected, Wherever You Go
Connect, livestream, and share adventures with others, turning SilverBack into a platform for shared experiences across distances.
final Takeaway & Reflection
Build Your Own Legacy
Working on SilverBack2035 showed me how transportation design can evolve beyond movement and
functionality into something more experiential, emotional, and human-centered, supporting how people live, recover, create, and connect in the future.
Collaborating closely with transportation designers was challenging at first because of our different design languages and workflows, but over time it became one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.
