Ever look at the front of your car and do a double take? Cars seem to have faces. Be honest. The headlights look like eyes, the emblem is a nose and the grill and intake slots look like a mouth. Admit it.
Well, you aren’t crazy.
The idea of seeing faces in inanimate objects is part of a survival instinct that goes back to prehistoric times. According to a study co-authored by a Florida State University researcher, research has confirmed through a complex statistical analysis that many people see human facial features in the front end of automobiles and ascribe various personality traits to cars. Product designers and filmmakers have toyed with the idea for a long time, but this study is the first to investigate the phenomenon systematically.
The study shows that we gather a great deal of information from looking at faces. We “read” faces and identify people as different types. We attribute an age, sex, attitude and personality to many faces. We also use faces to assess the potential for danger or aggression. Faces have been so important to human development that we have a hypersensitivity to faces and we’re tempted to see faces everywhere. We see faces in clouds, stones and yes, cars. So what does that mean if we see faces in cars? Yikes!
As it turns out, it could be very important. Associate professor in Florida State’s Department of Scientific Computing, Dennis Slice, says the study “confirmed with rigor what many people have felt – cars seem to have consistent personality traits associated with them.” For more importantly, Slice says, “The most unique aspect of the study was that we were able to quantitatively link the perception of cars to aspects of their physical structure in a way that allows us to generate a car that would project, say, aggession, anger, or masculinity or the opposite traits.”
“In our study, people generally agreed in their ratings,” Slice said, noting that 96 percent agreed on whether a car was dominant or submissive. Thus, there must be some kind of consistent message that is being perceived in car fronts.”
 
So what car do you want to drive? How do you want to be perceived? And more importantly, what are the implications of your choices?
 
As it turns out, findings suggest that perhaps there is a hidden road warrior in all of us, because study participants liked power vehicles best! The most mature, masculine, arrogant and angry-looking “car faces” were the favorites. Although people do not necessarily buy the kind of car they say they like, Slice said.
 
Just for the record, here’s how some car faces are perceived.
 
 
Cars scoring high in horizontally elongated hoods, pronounced lower car bodies relative to the windshields and more angular headlights that seemed to suggest a frown were seen as having the so-called power traits that road warriors want. Cars perceived as childlike, submissive, feminine and friendly had headlights with their upper edge relatively close to the midline and had an upward shift of the car’s lateral-most points. “In this way, the car gives us a big smile,” Slice said.
 
So whether you want to be perceived as a road warrior or fun and childlike, does it matter on the road? According to Slice, “Possibilities are if you see an aggressive car in your rear view mirror you may be more likely to pull over and yield to it,” he said. “By the same token, if you see a submissive or more immature car trying to get into traffic you may be more likely to help the innocent little car get into traffic.”
So there you have it. Slice says he and his colleagues hope to continue their work and one day may be able to help designers determine what parts of a car, such as headlights, grill and windshield, appeal to drivers. In the meantime, you might want to think about what the guy in front of you sees when he checks his rearview mirror? Road warrior or fun, innocent friend, are you driving a car that’s right for you?