Face Value: Why We Love, Hate, Fear Cars

Sept. 23, 2008 -- Do you find that the Renault Twingo has a smiling face? That the VW Beetle looks startled? The Trabant is sad? 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 color.

The researchers first classified the "expressions" on the cars using a computerized system of standardized 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? More friendly or hostile? More male or female? Is it arrogant? Happy? Afraid? Aggressive?