ANSHIKA SETH
Dr. C S Susanth
anshika_seth@nid.edu
Buying a first luxury car is both exciting and overwhelming, especially in India where cultural values, family rituals, and language shape major milestones. This project explores how Mercedes-Benz can make the first-time user experience more personal and culturally resonant for Indian buyers. With the all-electric CLA targeting younger, digitally native first-time luxury users, the project investigates intuitive, emotionally engaging onboarding through research involving customer interviews, dealership shadowing, and luxury brand benchmarking. Two personas were developed to reflect Indian HNI buyers, with the CLA selected for its accessible luxury positioning and advanced MBUX interface. The design intervention focuses on post-purchase onboarding through the infotainment system, proposing personalized user profiles that adapt to Indian festivals and special days using visual themes, ambient lighting, and avatars. Designed as an AI-powered system integrated within existing MBUX architecture, the project demonstrates how luxury can feel personal, digital, and distinctly Indian while retaining global brand sophistication.