Wanna Feel Good? Drive a Sports Car

We mustang (must thank) Ford for this beast.

Every petrolhead knows this: rev the engine of a sports car or a powerful motorcycle, and a thrill runs through you and it is...pure bliss. Well, guess what. According to a survey conducted by Ford, driving a sports car on a daily basis is among the best ways to boost a person's sense of wellbeing and emotional fulfilment.

Ford Europe spearheaded this project with neuroscientists and designers, and brought the research to life by collaborating with Designworks to create a one-of-a-kind Ford Performance Buzz Car. It’s a customised Ford Focus RS, incorporating wearable and artificial intelligence technology to animate the driver’s emotions in real time across the car’s exterior. Empathic technology firm, Sensum, developed a real-time “emotional AI” system and every “buzz moment” experienced by the driver was captured and analysed, and reinterpreted as animation across almost 200,000 LED lights integrated onto the car.

“We think driving should be an enjoyable, emotional experience. The driver-state research Ford and its partners are undertaking is helping to lead us towards safer roads and, importantly, healthier driving," said Marcel Mathissen, a research scientist at the Ford Research and Innovation Centre in Aachen, Germany. These studies could help vehicles better understand and respond to drivers’ emotions

The chart below shows the average number of high-intensity buzz moments experienced by the volunteers during the various activities:

“A roller coaster may be good for a quick thrill but it’s not great for getting you to work every day. This study shows how driving a performance car does much more than get you from A to B - it could be a valuable part of your daily wellbeing routine,” said Dr Harry Witchel, a physiology professor.

So, for the sake of your wellbeing...get a sports car!

Image credit - caranddriver.com; iol.co.za