Researchers at the University of Oxford are working with electric vehicle brand Polestar to study whether the emotional “thrill” of driving can be scientifically measured — and whether it can translate from traditional gas‑powered cars to modern electric vehicles, according to a report by New Atlas.
The project, led by the university’s SDG Impact Lab, reflects a shift in the EV market away from an early focus on sustainability toward performance and driver experience. As electric vehicles become more common, automakers are increasingly trying to define and deliver driving enjoyment without the familiar cues of internal combustion engines, such as sound and gear changes.
The study combined engineering, philosophy and experimental psychology to analyze how drivers respond to high‑performance EVs. Participants drove a Polestar 4 through a series of controlled scenarios, ranging from relaxed cruising to aggressive, performance‑focused driving. Researchers captured a wide range of data, including brain activity, eye movement, heart rate, skin conductance and facial expressions, alongside self‑reported emotional responses.
The goal was to determine whether driving excitement can be observed, quantified and ultimately engineered into future vehicles.
“This project demonstrates how academic research can create real‑world impact beyond the university,” said Alexander Betts, pro‑vice chancellor at the University of Oxford, in according to New Atlas. He added that the collaboration aims to translate scientific findings into insights that can shape vehicle development.
Some manufacturers have attempted to replicate those sensations artificially, using simulated engine sounds or digital “gear” effects. However, the Oxford‑Polestar research took a different approach, exploring whether driving enjoyment can be built around entirely new parameters rather than mimicking internal combustion vehicles.
Polestar said the findings could influence how future EVs are engineered, particularly in areas such as vehicle dynamics, responsiveness and driver engagement. The company is looking to establish a measurable framework for “driving thrill” that can guide design decisions rather than relying on subjective impressions alone.
“Challenging conventions around straight‑line acceleration being the default measure of driving excitement” is a key part of the effort, said Christian Samson, head of product attributes at Polestar, according to New Atlas. He added that the data could provide engineers with a more refined understanding of how to tune performance characteristics.
The research highlighted how the role of data and software is expanding across the automotive value chain, including the aftermarket. As vehicles become more connected and digitally controlled, performance characteristics may increasingly be defined — and updated — through software rather than hardware alone. That could have downstream implications for service, diagnostics and even upgrade pathways.
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