The SDG Impact Lab at the University of Oxford and Polestar has launched a pilot research study exploring what makes driving thrilling.
The UK-led research collaboration will investigate whether driving thrill can be scientifically defined and measured through signals in the brain and body, with the ambition of helping shape the next generation of electric vehicles (EV) around how drivers genuinely “feel” behind the wheel.
It comes as the transition to EVs gathers pace and seeks to challenge the association between driving thrill and engine noise and “mechanical drama”.
Modern EVs can deliver instant acceleration and high-performance capability in near silence. The Polestar 5, for example, accelerates from 0-62mph in just 3.9 seconds, which prior to electrification would put it in the category of an ICE supercar.
The project will explore what “definitively creates a thrill behind the wheel in the electric age, beyond the soundtrack of a traditional combustion engine”, it said.
The ambition is to establish a measurable framework for driving thrill that can inform the future development of electric vehicles, and ultimately prove that electric driving is fun.
For consumers, the research could influence how future electric cars are engineered, focusing not just on speed and range, but on confidence, engagement and enjoyment behind the wheel, and aims to better understand what drivers genuinely value from the experience of driving.
The pilot study brings together expertise from Engineering Science and Experimental Psychology. The team is made up of six senior Innovation Fellows pursuing Doctor of Philosophy degrees at the University of Oxford, supported by senior University of Oxford academics and working alongside Polestar’s automotive engineers.
Prof Alexander Betts, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Co-Founder of the Oxford University SDG Impact Lab, said:
“This project demonstrates how academic research can create real-world impact beyond the university. Working with Polestar allows us to translate scientific insight into knowledge that can help shape future innovation.”
Christian Samson, Head of Product Attributes at Polestar, said:
“At Polestar we’ve proven to be a guiding star in design and sustainability. Now it’s time to lead with performance, by challenging conventions around straight line acceleration being the default measure of driving excitement.
“The scientific approach of this research promises real-world benefits for our customers, as the data can be used by our engineering team as an added layer for fine tuning our cars’ vehicle dynamics and performance attributes.”
Results will be presented this autumn.
Image courtesy of Polestar
