Shell uses
wearable technology to find out how drivers feel
It
is quite interesting to think of how technology has progressed through the
years. The things technology can do for the world ranges from the convenient,
useful, and more importantly, to the life-saving. Companies the world over have
made use of various gadgets, apps, or programs to either introduce new products
and services, or improve on their current offers.
As
Shell has always been a pioneer in next generation technology producing smarter
products, as well as promoting smarter use, the company is always on the
lookout for ways to take their innovations a step further. To understand the
journey of drivers around the world better, Shell developed the Shell Driving
Experiment, a groundbreaking worldwide study that uses cutting-edge emotional
intelligence technology, ChatBots, mobile apps, and online weather and traffic
data sources to uncover how the emotions of drivers affect their driving
performance.
A synergy between hardware,
software, and human interaction
Prior
to the start of the experiment, participants were profiled to understand the
different aspects of their personalities, such as sensitivity, ambition, and
cautiousness. Participants then wore a 37 Degree wearable fitness tracker,
which was used throughout the study in tandem with three different apps: the
Shell App, the 37 Degree fitness tracker companion app, and the Facebook
Messenger app.
The
driving performance score of the participants were measured through the Shell App.
Three factors determine driver performance scores: speed, acceleration, and
braking. Instances of overspeeding, harsh acceleration, and harsh braking lower
the performance scores of the participants, meaning the smoother their drive
is, the higher their performance score will be. The participants simply had to
log the start and end of their journeys on the Shell App for their data to be
recorded.
The
37 Degree fitness band was worn by participants to record their biometrics, as
well as their mood and fatigue levels. The band took automatic readings
throughout the day and logged in the details on a specially-coded version of
the 37 Degree companion app, which was exclusively used for the study. The
special version of the app also provided a way for the participants to log the
start and end of their drives in order to monitor their biometrics when on the
road.
The
final app utilized by the Shell Driving Experiment was the Facebook Messenger
app, wherein participants had to interact with a special ChatBot that gave them
a series of questions to answer before and after their drive.
The
information monitored by the 37 Degree band and the three apps were all brought
together and analyzed by experts at Goldsmiths, University of London and giving
an interesting look at the unique personalities of Filipino drivers and the
realities of driving in the Philippines.
The
results of the study were revealed during the ‘What Drives You’ launch event on
February 27, which featured interactive installations and a panel of
specialists discussing the research findings. The panelists included Cleary
Ahern, a Doctoral Researcher from Goldsmiths, University of London. Ahern was
then joined by other panelists composed of subject matter experts including
motoring enthusiast and actor Jericho Rosales, champion racer Michele Bumagarner,
and health and diet guru Nadine Tengco.
Uncovering the Filipino driver
and their personality types
In
the Philippines, more than 300 participants logged in nearly two thousand
journeys from three key areas – Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao – to help uncover
the nature of Filipino drivers. The data from these journeys revealed that the
Philippines achieved the highest driving performance score among all the
countries that participated in the global study. This means that Filipinos have
smoother journeys (less incidents of harsh acceleration and harsh braking) and
are more efficient than other participating countries such as Malaysia,
Germany, and the Netherlands.
The
results of the study also showed that contrary to a common local stereotype,
gender has no significant influence on driving performance, with personality
type morelikely to predict your driving style. Two unique, high-performing
personality types among Filipino drivers were uncovered by the study: the
Modern Man and the Gamma Woman.
The
Modern Man is the type of driver that has a unique combination of sensitive and
ambitious personality traits, leading to their ability to maintain a
well-balanced emotional state behind the wheel. They adapt well to any
situation in life and exercise cautiousness on the road to achieve outstanding
driver performance scores. The Gamma Woman on the other hand is known for her
openness and emotional stability both on and off the road, leading to
exceptional driving performance scores.
The other factors that come into
play
Family
has always played a big part in the lives of Filipinos, and this was apparent
in the Shell Driving Experiment. Evidence linking the presence of children and additional
passengers in the car to better driving performance was consistent throughout
the study. A different result was found in other countries, with drivers in
Germany performing better when they are alone in the car.
The
Shell Driving Experiment also confirmed that stress is a constant emotion felt
by Filipinos on the road. Destination is also another factor, with findings
showing that drivers who are on their way to work are more stressed than those
who are on the road for other purposes.
Even
the food we eat plays a role in the driving performance of Filipinos.
Participants of the study who reported feeling hungry during their journey had
lower driver performance scores.
Giving importance to every ride
“The
Shell Driving Experiment is part of Shell’s efforts to understand the changing
needs of our customers,” shares Anthony Lawrence Yam, Vice President for Retail
at PIlipinas Shell. “This helps us create better products and services, such as
developing new fuels like Shell V-Power with DYNAFLEX Technology and the
expansion of our non-fuel offers at Shell Select, which are relevant in
improving the driving experience of Filipinos. At the end of the day, our goal
is making life’s journeys better for every Filipino on the road.”
By providing quality fuel
products and services to motorists around the world, Shell gained its foothold
as a global leader in power and energy. It pioneers next generation technology
in developing new sources for a reliable energy mix, producing smarter products
as well as promoting smarter use. Shell strives to build smarter infrastructure
and provide energy efficient engineering solutions that promote clean and
efficient transport and sustainable mobility.
Through
finding out and understanding what really matters most for Filipinos, Shell
continues its mission to allow people to go well on the road, wherever they
want to go.
Source: Shell Phil
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