Were you “Born to Be Wild?”
Well there’s a new song that can allegedly soothe your inner speed demon.
British insurer More Th>n [sic] worked with behavioral psychologist Dr. Simon Moore to create a tune that is said to simultaneously heighten alertness and encourage smooth, unaggressive driving.
The result is intentionally dull and forgettable.
Research led Dr. Moore to conclude that a tempo set in the “goldilocks zone” of 50-80 beats per minute -- in sync with the average heartbeat – keeps drivers focused without getting them too riled up. For comparison, a typical hit song is set at 120 beats per minute, while Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” has been described by experts as “laid-back” at 115 bpm.
But the speed of the sound isn’t the only key to keeping you safe.
According to Dr. Moore, the music needs to be low intensity, but move energetically in a Baroque (Bach, Beethoven) kind of way. It must also have no repeating melody or lyrics to draw you in and get stuck in your head. In fact, the less vocals, the better.
Moore had some musicians write a composition that fits the bill. It’s appropriately called “Safe in Sound,” and let’s just say that Adele probably doesn’t have much to worry about at the top of the charts, but that's exactly the point.
Nevertheless, it’s available for download if you’d like to head out on the highway and take for a spin. Just don't expect to find much adventure when you do.