Ola Electric

— December 2022

Designing Safe Call Controls for Two Wheelers

Bringing car-like convenience to electric scooters by enabling riders to manage calls safely through handlebar controls.

Ola Electric

— December 2022

Designing Safe Call Controls for Two Wheelers

Bringing car-like convenience to electric scooters by enabling riders to manage calls safely through handlebar controls.

Ola Electric

— December 2022

Designing Safe Call Controls for Two Wheelers

Bringing car-like convenience to electric scooters by enabling riders to manage calls safely through handlebar controls.

Ola Electric is leading India’s two-wheeler EV revolution with the S1 — a high-performance electric scooter featuring a 7-inch touchscreen and a keyless experience, all integrated with the Ola Electric app.

Ola S1 scooters come equipped with Bluetooth and speakers—making it possible to introduce calling functionality directly into the scooter’s dashboard. Our goal was to design a seamless experience that allowed riders to answer or reject calls without taking their hands off the handlebar or eyes off the road. This feature had to be intuitive, safe, and familiar, without overwhelming the rider.

The Problem

Most two-wheeler riders either miss important calls or take risky actions to answer them while riding. Unlike four-wheelers, scooters rarely offer in-built call controls. With Ola S1’s connected tech, we had the opportunity to fill that gap—but safety and simplicity had to lead the design.

Early Explorations

We explored different input methods (touchscreen vs physical controls), call notification styles, and interaction flows. A major constraint: the touchscreen becomes inactive when the scooter is in motion for safety reasons. This meant we had to lean heavily on physical interaction through the control pad and make the visual cues on the screen extremely clear and reactive.

Designing an On-the-Move Call Experience

We created dynamic, state-aware icons that clearly signaled when call controls were active or inactive. Riders could accept or reject calls using the right-side control pad, ensuring safe interaction without relying on the touchscreen. The interface was intentionally minimal, designed for maximum legibility in bright sunlight and while in motion. We tested multiple iterations to ensure the interaction felt intuitive and reduced rider distraction to an absolute minimum.

  1. ACCEPT & REJECT CALLS

WITH CONTROL PAD

Get a call

Get a call

  1. TAP TO get a call

  1. ACCEPT & REJECT CALLS

WITH CONTROL PAD

Get a call

  1. TAP TO get a call

Reaction

The feature first rolled out in the MoveOS 3 BETA in October 2022 and reached all Ola S1 users by December 2022. Riders appreciated the ability to stay connected without unsafe hacks—many compared it to the convenience of car dashboards.

  • No more missing important calls, thanks Ola.

    @krishnasaksena2364

  • The calling feature is super cool!

    @ArunSingh-rk7mm

  • Damn! Fabulous features and an amazing look.

    @PankajKumar-vv5db

No more missing important calls, thanks Ola.

@krishnasaksena2364

No more missing important calls, thanks Ola.

@krishnasaksena2364

The calling feature is super cool!

@ArunSingh-rk7mm

The calling feature is super cool!

@ArunSingh-rk7mm

Damn! Fabulous features and an amazing look.

@PankajKumar-vv5db

Damn! Fabulous features and an amazing look.

@PankajKumar-vv5db

click call and move, easy to use.

@FaizanKhan-ct7pc

click call and move, easy to use.

@FaizanKhan-ct7pc

Outcome & Impact

The calling feature was widely adopted and well-received. It reinforced Ola’s position as a leader in two-wheeler innovation and elevated the overall riding experience. For me, this project was about bridging the gap between safety and convenience—by designing an interaction that just feels right on two wheels. It’s a small but meaningful shift that redefines what riders can expect from their vehicles.