Autonomous Vehicles (AV) have the potential to positively contribute towards a safer, greener, and more sustainable mobility. Yet, amongst the public, there is a general sense of distrust and apprehension with regards to autonomous technology that compromises AV acceptance and uptake. This paper introduces first steps towards the development of a DataInformed-Design (D-I-D) framework for AV design with the aim of providing design practitioners with tangible, relatable anchors to direct activities towards critical AV design features that help ensure prospective passengers’ needs and motivations, such as the need for safety and security, are met. A series of interviews were conducted with senior designers to identify key design features. The interviews revealed themes rather than individual design features, such as the need for ‘comfort’, which hint at the complex interactions between people’s needs and motivations and how design can and should respond to this complexity. The results are discussed in the context of the further development of the D-I-D framework and future research.