High power and immense speed alone do not guarantee vivid sensations behind the wheel. Of course, a ride in a Ferrari or Lamborghini can provide a lot of emotions, especially if the driver uses the car's capabilities to the fullest. However, research shows that the true thrill of driving is not only formed by speed. It is simultaneously influenced by three components – physical sensations, intellectual engagement, and emotional reaction.
The study, commissioned by automotive lubricant manufacturer Castrol, was conducted by the British neuroscience company Brainbox. The results help explain why a bicycle ride through slow city traffic is sometimes perceived more acutely than a plane flight at about 575 mph. And cycling downhill can make the sensations even more intense.
What happens to the brain behind the wheel
For the Castrol EDGE “Thrill of Driving” study, participants tested various cars, including the McLaren Artura GT4 racing car. During the drives, they wore an EEG cap that recorded the electrical activity of the brain. Additionally, researchers monitored eye movements, skin response, and heart rate variability.
The tests were conducted on closed tracks, which allowed for the assessment of participants' physiological reactions under controlled conditions. As a result, researchers concluded that the peak of pleasure occurs during what is called “controlled immersion.”
This refers to a state in which sufficiently high but manageable levels of several factors are simultaneously achieved:
- physical stimulation;
- intellectual engagement;
- emotional arousal with interest prevailing over fear.
It was the combination of these components, rather than maximum speed, that proved to be the main condition for strong sensations. It is important for a person to focus on what is happening and at the same time feel that the situation remains under control.
Therefore, a fast car is not necessarily the most exciting. McLaren indeed provided participants with the highest level of perceived thrill, but during a high-speed ride as a passenger, people's reactions shifted from pleasure towards anxiety.
Why karting can compete with a supercar
The data obtained well explains why karting can cause real excitement, although its speed is incomparable to the capabilities of supercars. Here, a person actively controls what is happening, constantly concentrates on the trajectory, and directly feels the car's reaction.
A similar effect was demonstrated by the Land Rover Defender, which participants tested off-road. Such a trip required high concentration, but at the same time allowed for a relatively calm emotional state.
Thus, different cars created different combinations of sensations. In one case, speed was the decisive factor, in another – the need to constantly make decisions and control the car.
Castrol specifically emphasized that to enjoy driving, one does not necessarily need a supercar. According to Vincent Panel, Head of Products and Communications at Castrol Europe, almost the same feeling of complete immersion and control can be obtained at a local karting track or during a drive on a favorite road – without the need to develop high speed.
Why Castrol needed to study the pleasure of driving
For Castrol, this study was not just an attempt to find out why people like to drive cars. The company commissioned the work to use the data obtained as part of its engineering data-driven approach to product development.
At the same time, the results may be of interest to those who do not consider themselves automotive enthusiasts at all. They help explain why some drivers enjoy old and far from the fastest Honda Civics during track days. What matters is not the lap time shown on the stopwatch, but the combination of control, concentration, and emotional response itself.
The study also allows for a different perspective on the attitude towards electric vehicles. Modern models are capable of demonstrating acceleration that surpasses that of supercars, but this does not mean that every driver will receive a comparable emotional response from them.
The reason is that speed is only one component of the driving sensation. Even a very fast car may not provide the expected pleasure if the other elements of the necessary combination are less pronounced.
There is no universal formula for pleasure
Researchers specifically note: no single indicator can determine the level of driving excitement. This means that subjective pleasure is made up of several simultaneously operating factors.
Conventionally, the result can be represented as follows:
- high physical exertion must remain manageable;
- the driver must be intellectually engaged in the process;
- emotional arousal must exceed fear;
- the person must feel in control of the situation.
That is why one driver can enjoy a fast car, another – karting, and a third – a calm ride on a familiar road. The speed indicator itself cannot explain this difference.
The Castrol and Brainbox study actually shows that pleasure behind the wheel begins where the driver simultaneously feels the car, actively participates in driving, and maintains control over the situation. Therefore, for strong impressions, it is not necessary to have a Ferrari, Lamborghini, or another car with enormous power. Sometimes, a car that allows you to truly get involved in the process is enough.