EVs reduce driver stress – study

Electric vehicles’ lack of noise may have significant mental health benefits.

That’s according to a new brain monitoring study led by acoustics expert Dr Duncan Williams of the University of York and ordered by LEVC (London EV Company), which makes London’s electric black cabs.

An electroencephalogram or ‘brain cap’ was placed on the head of four professional cabbies who all operate in central London, Electrek

reports.

The cap monitored their brain activity as they drove both electric and diesel black cabs.

Results indicate drivers are more focused, calmer, and happier when driving the electric taxi.

Higher levels of beta brain wave activity were recorded by drivers in the EV, which indicates higher levels of active concentration. In essence, while driving the electric taxi drivers were freed up to get on with driving.

This was particularly noticeable when vehicles were waiting at traffic lights.

Heart rate was consistently less variable in the electric taxi than the diesel taxi, indicating greater mental calmness.

The electric taxi was a less noisy working environment for the drivers with around 5dB less overall amplitude, and an increased dynamic range in comparison to recordings from the diesel taxi.

Further driver survey data shows the largest improvement over the diesel taxi reported by the drivers was increased happiness, followed by reduced stress and less distraction.

This study proved hugely interesting, Williams says. “The drivers all reported being calmer, less stressed and happier in the electric taxi than in the old diesel model. Traditionally those feelings would correlate with more alpha brain waves, which are a good indicator of relaxation. But when we looked at the data, the drivers’ showed more beta brain waves, an indicator of mental activity and attention.”

So there are even more benefits of going electric than previously thought.