Abstract

The smartphone has become a standard device in Brazilians’ daily lives, and their sales have increased in the country considerably in recent years. Brazil is the fifth-largest global smartphone market. In parallel, the use of mobile phones inside vehicles has also been increasing. Considering these two factors, designers should be aware of the characteristics of the context of use when designing for smartphones, aligning the apps’ interfaces with the users’ strategies and needs. To gather that information, an online survey was conducted to list the main behavioral patterns, and contextual inquiry sessions were carried out to deepen the understanding of the relationship between drivers and smartphone use. According to the data analysis, it is concluded that different variables may affect directly in the drivers’ behavior: time spent on commuting, affinity with technology, pleasure in driving, and concern about safety. Regardless the adopted attitudes, the goal is the same: the search for convenience during the driving task. The article ends with the identification of four different personas that specify the vast majority of Brazilian smartphone users/drivers.