VEDANT SHARMA

Designer in Bengaluru, seven years in. Four of which have been at Ather Energy, designing rider-facing experiences for electric two-wheelers.

My work spans interaction design, HMI, typography, and branding, with a focus on clarity under motion, legibility at speed, and behaviours that feel invisible in real riding conditions.

I come from a background in typeface and graphic design, which informs how I approach every problem: through hierarchy, clarity, and visual decisions built to last across vehicles and product lines.

Outside of work: solo motorcycle rides, strength training, 3d printing, photo walks, books, and films.

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vedant@vdnt.me

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TYPEFACE FOR SPEED


Role
Product and Type Designer 

Scope
Typeface Design · Dashboard Typography

Collaborators
HMI Design Lead · Vehicle Design Lead 

Timeline
2022

The Most Important Number



On a vehicle dashboard, speed is the most visible data point.

In 2022, while revamping the UI of the Ather 450X, we needed a typeface that could:

  • Be legible at a glance
  • Hold clarity under vibration
  • Survive glare and brightness shifts
  • Feel aligned with the vehicle’s character


Off-the-shelf typefaces either lacked clarity at small sizes or introduced unnecessary personality that didn’t work with the vehicle.

I was initially asked to choose a suitable font. It led to constructing one instead.



Functional First


The priority was legibility with a single weight.

The numerals needed to remain readable:
  • At varying sizes
  • Under motion blur
  • Under simulated fogging and rain blur on the visor
  • In peripheral vision





I adopted a humanistic construction with:
  • Open terminals
  • Generous internal counters
  • Clear stroke differentiation
  • Controlled contrast
  • Each number visually independent

This openness allowed negative space to flow through the forms, preventing the numerals from bleeding together at small sizes or under blur.

The aesthetic decisions were secondary. Legibility came first.

Building in-house also provided a practical advantage: it eliminated licensing constraints and gave us full control over future iterations.




Echoing the Machine

Once the functional structure was stable, the vehicle’s form began informing the type.

The 450X had:
  • Tensioned surfaces
  • Lean proportions
  • Controlled curvature meeting sharp edges

These characteristics translated subtly into the numerals through:
  • Slightly tensioned curves
  • Measured angular transitions
  • Compact but open proportions
  • Contrasting rounded and sharp corners

    The characters did not imitate the vehicle. They reflected its structural language.





    The project began with speed numerals.

    Soon, range, battery percentage, tyre pressure, charging percentage, and ride mode labels required consistency. The numerals expanded into a functional character set used across ride data, while the rest of the UI remained in Neurial Grotesk by ITF.

    Applying the principles defined in the numerals, the extended letterforms were developed within the display’s pixel constraints, ensuring clarity without compromising proportion.




    Shipped and Sustained


    The typeface shipped across the fleet in 2022 and remains in production across 450-series vehicles as of 2026.

    It quietly supports the most frequently viewed information on the scooter: speed, range, battery and ride state, forming the typographic backbone of ride-critical data.

    No branding spectacle. Just clarity at speed. 


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