I KNOW what you’re thinking: with all those viral videos, dashcam diaries and James Deakin’s ascent to “Tulfo” status when it comes to motorist woes, you don’t need any sophisticated device or data to track how Filipino drivers feel.
Spending a day driving around Metro Manila or rush hour (make that hours) along Edsa is enough to turn even the mildest-mannered motorist into a raging Hulk. I guess the only reason there are lesser incidents of road rage is because we’ve actually come to accept insufferable traffic as a way of life.
Last week I attended a Shell event, thinking that they were going to launch a new promo or product that could help me save a few pesos. Instead they shared the results of the Shell Driving Experiment, a groundbreaking worldwide study that utilized 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—and the results were quite fascinating.
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 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 used exclusively for the study and allowed participants to log the start and end of their drives in order to monitor their biometrics when on the road.
The driving performance score of the participants were then 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 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, giving an interesting look at the unique personalities of Filipino drivers and the realities of driving in the Philippines. The results were presented by Cleary Ahern, a doctoral researcher from Goldsmiths. She was later joined in the panel discussion by motoring enthusiast and actor Jericho Rosales, champion racer Michele Bumagarner, and health and diet guru Nadine Tengco.
In the Philippines more than 300 participants logged in nearly 2,000 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.
I, however, forgot to ask if they included drivers who drive their jeepneys like horses and AUV drivers who have a nasty habit of stepping hard on the brakes to squeeze in their passengers.
The results of the study also showed that, contrary to a common stereotype of women being bad drivers, gender has no significant influence on driving performance, with personality type more likely 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 caution 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.
As always, family also played a big part in the Shell Driving Experiment, as 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 experiment 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 in the study who reported feeling hungry during their journey had lower driver performance scores. The experiment showed that drivers who crave food or hydration don’t perform as well on the road. This decreases the smoothness of a driver’s journey, negatively correlating to a smoother trip score.
Tengco, a famous health guru, shared her two cents on the results. She said, “Just like how you need to fuel up your car before going on a drive, our body needs our own fill, as well. Driving while you’re hungry, especially in this heavy traffic, can really affect your mood and focus, which can have detrimental effects to your driving. Food rich in Omega-3 can enhance mood, relieve stress and increase alertness. But many other nutrients and flavors are associated with increased wakefulness and alertness, such as nuts, citruses and dark chocolates. More than that, staying hydrated is important.”
“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 nonfuel 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.”
In the Philippines nearly 2,000 journeys were completed by more than 300 participants from three key areas—Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao.
To kick-start the study, a set of hypotheses were developed for testing. The hypotheses covered topics about driver performance vis-à-vis factors like stress management and sleeping.
After taking the internal and external factors that affect the everyday journeys of Filipinos into consideration, the Philippines achieved the highest driving performance score across all the countries who participated in the study. This means that Filipinos have smoother journeys and are more efficient drivers than other participating countries, like Malaysia, Germany and the Netherlands.
THE PULSE ADVANTAGE
THE fuel company that did introduce some new technology was homegrown brand Phoenix Petroleum, which introduced its upgraded fuels powered by their new Pulse Technology—and they did it on Valentine’s Day.
Pulse Technology is an innovative formulation with advanced cleaning and protection properties for enhanced power and acceleration. It’s made with cutting-edge fuel technology by world-class fuel experts. The upgraded fuel products promise three main benefits. It avoids fuel filter blockage in diesel-powered vehicles, removes deposits from fuel injectors, valves and piston surfaces; and provides engine protection. Phoenix Pulse Technology also helps result to better fuel economy when used continuously.
“The launch of Phoenix Pulse Technology is in fulfillment of our goal to be the most credible alternative to the major brands. We enhanced our fuel products and improved our formulation not only to be able to compete with bigger players in the oil industry, but, more important, to add value to every peso fueled up at Phoenix,” Phoenix Petroleum COO Henry Fadullon said.
In just 15 years, Phoenix Petroleum has grown from five stations in Mindanao to 530 nationwide, establishing its reputation as the fastest-growing oil company in the Philippines. Just last year the company broadened its portfolio to include LPG with the acquisition of Petronas Energy Philippines Inc., now Phoenix LPG Philippines Inc., and convenience retailing with the purchase of Philippine FamilyMart. It will soon venture into the bitumen business.
Phoenix Pulse Technology is available in all Phoenix stations in all fuel grades. These next-generation fuels are suitable for Filipino drivers looking for a connection unlike any other.
VIRTUAL ‘KUBO’ FOR START-UPS
THE Philippines’s first public-private sector initiative for start-ups, QBO Innovation Hub (QBO), recently launched its own app where start-ups can connect with top-notch mentors and consultants who can help them grow their business.
QBO (ku-bo) was formed through a partnership between Ideaspace Foundation Inc., J.P. Morgan, the departments of Science and Technology and of Trade and Industry. It is a platform for the start-up community to collaborate, develop talent and grow. Spurred by the vision of Filipino start-ups changing the world, QBO’s mission is to create a globally competitive start-up ecosystem in the Philippines. The QBO App is an extension of QBO’s on-ground efforts.
“In this fast-paced, always-on world, we saw the need for start-ups to get easy access to our services and resources. This is why we created the app,” said Katrina Chan, director of QBO Innovation Hub.
The QBO App is downloadable on iOS and Android devices (search for “QBO Innovation Hub”). It is a digital space where start-ups and entrepreneurs can come together to connect and collaborate with other players in the start-up ecosystem and contribute their own knowledge with the community.
QBO’s mentor roster consists of successful start-up founders, experienced venture capitalists and veteran company leaders, among others.
The seven mentors include: Chito Bustamante, CEO, Chikka Asia Inc.; Ambar Machfoedy, managing partner, Rekanext Venture Capital Partners; Joey Vilar, head of marketing services and OIC of market education, Philippine Stock Exchange; Jojy Azurin, founder and CEO of Horsepower.ph; Francis Simisim, CEO of Social Light Inc. (WhenInManila, Blogapalooza); Noel Lorenzana, venture capitalist with years of experience in key leadership positions; and Joseph Lacson, chief investment officer at Metro Pacific Investments Corp.