Automotive Industry Design Research in Brazil

Camila Boga led a strategic research project for Renault focused on building deep market and consumer understanding in Brazil as a foundation for innovation. Working in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams from Designit and Flutter Innovation, her role centered on framing the research, leading synthesis, and translating complex cultural and behavioral signals into clear, actionable directions for the organization.

The work was guided by the Feel the Future® methodology, combining ethnographic observation, in-depth interviews, and expert dialogue to surface patterns, tensions, and emerging behaviors. Camila synthesized convergences and divergences across data sources into robust insights and future-oriented trends, then facilitated workshops and co-creation sessions to transform research findings into opportunity directions and a coherent strategic narrative for decision-making.

The results of this project contributed to Renault’s understanding of Brazilian consumer priorities in the entry-level automotive segment and informed strategic discussions that later materialized in products such as the Renault Kwid. Launched in Brazil in 2017, the Kwid became one of the country’s most relevant compact cars, strongly positioned around affordability, fuel efficiency, and local usage patterns.

Since its launch, the Renault Kwid has consistently ranked among the top-selling vehicles in Brazil’s entry-level category, surpassing 500,000 units sold in the Brazilian market and frequently appearing among the national monthly sales leaders. Its commercial success has been widely associated with its strong value proposition for Brazilian consumers - particularly accessibility, efficiency, and contextual relevance - dimensions directly explored during the research phase.

Key deliverables included a comprehensive research synthesis, Brazil-specific trends and critical tensions, clearly articulated opportunity areas, and a final executive presentation. Together, these outputs established a shared, research-backed starting point for future scenario development, including a proposed video-based reporting concept to support internal alignment and strategic decision-making.

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