Neon OS

Next-generation Marine Operating System.

Neon is Navico Group’s next-generation marine operating system, designed for multifunction displays (MFDs) across Simrad, B&G, and Lowrance. It replaces legacy systems with a modern UI, improved performance, and an architecture that can evolve with new technologies.

Built on Android, Neon delivers a responsive, app-like experience while giving engineers and designers the flexibility to roll out faster updates, richer features, and consistent brand experiences.

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On water experience testing, Southampton 2019. Egle, Me, Sjoerd, Damien and Derry

My Role

I joined as one of the founding designers for Neon, bringing fresh perspectives to the marine industry. To understand the context, I immersed myself in the boating community, from fishermen to sailors and hobbyists, learning how they used their multifunction displays and the challenges they faced on the water.

In the early days, I wore multiple hats: contributing to user research, creating prototypes, and shaping early concepts. A few months in, Sjoerd Aben, a former colleague from TomTom, joined the team, and together we began defining the product vision, design language, and roadmap that would guide Neon from idea to market launch.

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Outcome

Neon introduced a modernised, scalable platform for Navico’s new products, while the previous OS (NOS) continues to run on legacy units.
It delivered:

  • Improved performance and a smoother user experience.
  • Enhanced security to support evolving needs.
  • Third-party app capability, opening up future integrations.
  • Boaters found it more straightforward to use, and Navico positioned itself for long-term growth with a platform that could scale across brands and adapt to future technologies.
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Neon in Action
 

 

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Neon brings a significantly enhanced user experience to marine navigation. Delivering improved performance, stronger security, and simpler updates. Users benefit from a clearer presentation of crucial data, such as charts, weather, and sonar, along with the flexibility of third-party app integration and customisable features, truly modernising the onboard experience.

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Scenarios

We defined key tasks and use cases, focusing on what boaters do day to day.

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Testing and research

Designing for an on-water environment in an office has limits, so we took every opportunity to get on real vessels, test prototypes, and speak with both novice and experienced boaters.

Refinements

We iterated on layouts and workflows, matching user feedback with Navico’s technical requirements.

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Implementation

With Neon established, the Simrad NSX became the first device to launch with the new experience.

Seeing Neon OS evolve from an early concept to powering multiple brands on the water was rewarding. Time spent at sea exposed real-world challenges that shaped our design decisions far more than desk research ever could. Neon set a strong foundation for Navico’s future products, proving the value of a unified platform and creating a clear path for continued innovation.