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Scientifically Examining the Pleasure of Driving: Computer-Assisted Image Analysis
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Researchers have taken a first scientific look at the idea of driving pleasure. Experts at the Fraunhofer Institute in Rostock, Germany, the Technical University of Munich, and Mercedes-Benz Customer Research collaborated in this study to test new ways of measuring the emotions of automobile drivers. They used voice analysis, evaluated facial expressions, and conducted psychological interviews in order to discover just what drivers feel when they’re on the road and which factors make driving a pleasure.
To measure the emotional responses, Mercedes-Benz relied on two models that use different technology and equipment: the new C-Class and the Mercedes-Benz 190 E of the 1983 model year. Eight drivers between 33 and 53 years of age — both male and female — drove these sedans on country roads, freeways, and a tortuous test track. All the while, their faces were filmed by video cameras. During image analysis in the laboratory, some 60,000 individual video frames were copied for computer analysis of facial expressions. Altogether, about one million images were analyzed in this way.
Both before and after each drive, the test subjects were psychologically interviewed to determine what factors they regard as important when it comes to driving pleasure. This pilot study has demonstrated that the emotions experienced while driving can be measured and used as an objective criterion for evaluating vehicles.
