Limousine Facial Expressions
Some people claim to have seen apparitions. What about expressions in cars? Do you find that the Renault Twingo has a smiling face or that the VW Beetle looks startled and a BMW looks angry?
In a new study, scientists say that if we see a mellow, macho or other expression on the front end of a car, it is because we are hardwired to scan human faces for vital information. Humans, like other animals, have evolved the ability to size someone up in the briefest of glances, they say. Seeing a face for just a tenth of a second in enough to figure out if that person is hostile or helpful, a stranger or kin - a prehistoric survival mechanism that can make the difference between life and death.
To see if this reflex extends to automobiles, a team of researchers led by Karl Grammer of the University of Vienna asked 40 young adults - half women, half men - to rate the front ends of 38 recent-model cars, all of the same colour. The researchers first classified the "expressions" on the cars using a computerised system of standardised measures for human faces that indicate degrees of masculinity or femininity, and different emotions, based on the size and position of facial features.
Then they asked participants to rate each car's "face" for 19 criteria: Is the "face" more like a child or an adult? Is it more friendly or hostile? Is it more male or female? Is it arrogant or Aggressive? And, is it happy or afraid? Respondents were also simply asked if the car's front end looked like a face and, if so, whether it was more human or animal. Finally, they picked the vehicles they liked.
More than a third said that 90 per cent of the cars reminded them of a face, and all of the participants indicated headlights for the "eyes" and a radiator grill for the "mouth." Their ranking of emotions matched the ones generated by computers in most cases, according to the experiment, reported in the journal Human Nature, published by Germany's Springer group.
However, when it comes to tastes, people are different. And, while science may strive to find the answer, when it comes to hiring a limousine, these days there are plenty to choose from. In fact, you can hire a limousine with any ‘attitude’ or ‘face’ you like. You can choose one which appeals to you, or one you like - even though you may not why; a masculine or feminine one; maybe you’re after a friendly or happy looking limousine? Whatever, you after, HireLimos will put you into a stylish limousine at a price you can afford.
