Brilliant design – the key to creating attention in a crowded market

Kim Hollamby asks Slovenian producer LXNAV why they decided to think differently when creating the E360 display, winner of the DAME Design Awards, and to understand how it was made.

The E360 is a 4-inch (102mm) round multifunction touchscreen display that captured the imagination of the DAME Design Awards jury from the very beginning of the evaluation process. It looked different, worked well without a glitch, and felt good. While there were several close contenders, there was something special about LXNAV’s attention to detail that set it apart.
This product features the ability to display a wide range of NMEA 2000 data, including the latest electrical PGNs (Parameter Group Numbers). It comes with preloaded OpenSeaMap charts, offers Navionics compatibility via SD card, and has integrated Fusion music control. The E360 is waterproof to IPX6 and includes built-in Wi-Fi and GPS. It offers high levels of user customization for displayed data and alert thresholds. The DAME Design Awards jury praised its compact and cohesive design, which is easily integrated, paired with an intuitive user interface, a wide range of functions, and a responsive screen.
But why create a round multifunction display in the first place? At first glance, it is not the simplest form factor to work with. To understand more, it helps to look at the company’s history.

LXNAV was founded in 2009 to design and produce high-tech avionics for gliders and light sport aircraft. It quickly made a name for itself in aviation and today commands a significant majority of the glider market, having manufactured over 10,000 instruments.
Around 2016, LXNAV co-founders, CEO Erazem Połutnik and CTO Uroš Krašovic, decided to diversify. Both were boat owners and had formed opinions on what they would like to see in the next generation of marine electronic products. The opportunity to create a modern ecological system through the adoption of the NMEA 2000 communication protocol was the catalyst. Their belief was that they could bring the high-quality design and manufacturing standards of LXNAV, which are mandatory within aviation applications, and apply them to the marine electronics sector.
In the years since the company launched its E-series rectangular chart plotters in 5-inch, 7-inch, and 9-inch sizes using a real estate-coded user interface designed to mimic smartphone operation. These products leveraged the company’s aviation experience and included programming to generate smart alerts that automatically switched the screen to the highest priority information, such as low depth, low fuel, or voltage drop, based on user-defined parameters.
The company also developed an outlier – a 4.5-inch hybrid circular instrument that combined an analog needle for engine RPM with a 3.5-inch multifunction LCD screen. The E350 used a jog dial for control and found application aboard some Sunseeker models.
LXNAV subsequently added a range of NMEA 2000 compatible sensors and converters that are easily configurable to provide engine, GPS, fluid level, battery, and atmospheric data. These use QR codes that allow configuration from smartphones via Wi-Fi. The busy nearby Croatian charter market also pushed the company to develop a tracking solution for the plug and play with means to communicate alarms back to base.

The logic for the birth of the E360 partly stemmed from LXNAV realizing how it could iteratively improve the E350 to be much more versatile and easier to read. Perhaps more importantly, it was understood that, as a relatively unknown small business, it was difficult to make its rectangular form factor chart plotters stand out against market leaders. If done well, a round multifunction touchscreen would attract attention and echo classically oriented design themes in vogue, such as the iconic circular instrument of the ‘new’ Mini from BMW.
The sales and marketing leader for LXNAV Marine, Franck Blanchard, explains: “The E350 was a beautiful device, but we thought it would be nice to have a larger map chart on the screen and control the display with a touchscreen. It took us over a year to design and prepare the E360 for launch. First, we tested different types of displays before choosing the one that provided the fastest and most reliable response. The operating software is the same used on our rectangular chart plotters, just adapted for the different screen shape, making it familiar for users who use more than one type of screen.
“The NMEA 2000 connected racing wheel is no longer essential as it was on the E350. But it is an option available to suit some boats where the dashboard is at a long distance, as well as for easy operation when the boat is moving very dynamically. It’s a system that will also be familiar to car drivers and those who may not be experienced boat users.”
In terms of impact, Blanchard hoped that the E360 would be recognized as something different at Metstrade and would receive a nomination for the DAME Design Awards. Both he and CEO Erazem Połutnik were completely surprised when they were first announced as category winners and then overall winners. Proof that their design goals were significantly exceeded.

Today, LXNAV employs about 35 people in Celje, Slovenia. They work across the glider and marine product ranges. About half are focused on research and development, with the balance on production and administration.
In terms of overall impact and application, LXNAV could see how the E360 would sit well at the helm of classic-style boats, but Blanchard also emphasizes that the way the internal team is structured means they can quickly adapt their product software to specific requirements. He sits in the middle of the team between developers and production staff and can discuss customer needs as soon as they become known.

In terms of next steps, LXNAV is exploring concepts to launch a range of smart 2-inch (50mm) round gauges, opening many options for retrofit sales and working with OEMs. “We have had feedback that people would like to replace analog dials,” explains Blanchard. “An important reason we have attended Metstrade since we launched into the marine market is to talk to customers and get their feedback. The show is a great place for us: we really enjoy working with boat builders and engine manufacturers, and we already have several established collaborations with companies including Vetus and Rim Drive Technology.
“We may be a small business, but we have put our experience in the marine sector and applied the same high standard in terms of design and production of products. Our size is also a strength, allowing us to react quickly and adapt to the multiple needs of our customers today.”

Read the full jury comments on the LXNAV E360 and other DAME Design Awards winning products at www.damedesignawards.com/winners