Simóne Viljoen

CASE STUDY

ABU DHABI AUTONOMOUS RACING LEAGUE (A2RL)

A multi-product digital suite for ASPIRE's flagship autonomous racing initiative — 2024 to 2025.

A2RL mobile event app interface

Client Needs

ASPIRE — the program-development arm of Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Research Council — launched A2RL to push the boundaries of autonomous technology and AI innovation. ASPIRE needed a coherent digital product suite to drive registrations, on-site access, interactive audience engagement, and live data integrations across four key events. - A2RL inaugural autonomous super-formula car race - 2024 - F1 Grand Prix fan zone activation - 2024 - A2RLxDCL autonomous drone championship - 2025 - Second annual A2RL super-formula car race - 2025

User Needs

  • Attendees → frictionless registration, tiered access (public vs invite-only), and engaging on-site digital experiences.
  • Event staff → fast, reliable on-site check-in and access control across thousands of attendees.

Solution

An end-to-end product suite spanning registration, on-site access, native and WebAR experiences, interactive installations, and a native mobile racing game integrated with live race telemetry. Each product was tailored to its event, audience, and tech stack — while reusing the definition, governance, and handover practices established on the inaugural race to stay shippable under shifting briefs, shifting teams, and tight timelines.

PROCESS

A2RL definition and user journeys

Definition & User Journeys

As ASPIRE's strategy evolved between editions, I led product definition and UX/UI design across every product. From the inaugural mobile app and live-telemetry racing game in 2024, through the F1 Fan Zone AR and games, to the drone event and second annual AI race registration platform, I converted ambiguous and evolving briefs into actionable SOWs, journeys, and feature specifications — mobilising shifting resources while documenting product learnings and iterating based on user feedback and analytic insights.

A2RL cross-event continuity and check-in journey

Cross-Event Continuity

Across four edition of A2RL events, I oversaw and streamlined the UX/UI design, handover, and technical delivery management of products across very different tech stacks — Next.js and Vercel for web, 8th Wall for WebAR, and Unity for the native AR, mobile racing app and interactive activation apps. With shifting teams, shifting client priorities, and limited UI designer resources, I designed and owned an effective, scalable, and flexible governance system — SOW translation, post-project analysis, documentation, and structured handovers — that let account managers pitch and close subsequent A2RL events, and mobilised cross-functional teams (developers, designers, and 3D artists). Across each product, I maintained a solid design system to maintain the client’s brand identity and support additional interactive design teams.

DELIVERABLES

  1. Registration Web App & Check-in System

    A fully responsive web platform for tiered visitor registration and on-site QR check-in, used at the inaugural race, drone event, and second annual AI racing edition.

    Key Considerations

    • Tiered registration flows (public link vs invite-only) with email-based QR ticket delivery
    • Mobile-first registration form paired with a tablet-based check-in app
    • Real-time analytics to monitor registration and attendance
    A2RL registration web app and check-in system
  2. Object Recognition AR & WebAR

  3. Mobile Event App & Racing Game

OUTCOME

Across four editions, the A2RL digital suite has handled around 10,000 registrations at the latest edition, supported four distinct event formats, and given ASPIRE a scalable digital foundation — registration, check-in, AR, interactive activations, and a native racing app. AR and game activations sustained strong dwell times and leaderboard-driven repeat play at the F1 Fan Zone, and the documentation and handover practices established on the inaugural race have continued to enable account management stakeholders to pitch and close subsequent A2RL projects.

A2RL registrations and event platform outcome