Transform Your Driving: How Racing Games Enhance Real-World Skills and Hyundai's Latest Innovations
Racing game enthusiasts view gaming as a virtual getaway and a platform to hone their driving skills and boost confidence that they believe carries over to actual driving. Surprisingly, nearly half (48%) of players of racing video games assert they are superior drivers compared to non-gamers, with a mere 13% of gamers disagreeing.
Why are these gamers so confident, and are the hours dedicated to screen time genuinely beneficial? According to the gamers themselves, the answer is affirmative. With increasingly realistic racing simulators and state-of-the-art advancements in vehicle technology, the boundary between virtual racing and real-world driving is fading. Indeed, four out of ten gamers assert that gaming enhances their driving skills in reality.
A survey conducted by Hyundai involving 1,000 drivers who play racing video games revealed that more than half (52%) have noted improvements in reaction time and driving safety, while enhanced road awareness (42%) and a better ability to spot potential hazards (39%) are also notable benefits of gaming. These developed skills through gaming have practical impacts, with half (50%) of those who played racing video games as children believing it accelerated their ability to pass their driving test, and over 52% succeeding on their first try.
Furthermore, nearly two-thirds (65%) of participants view racing video games as a close simulation of real-life driving, noticing similarities in steering (63%), control and cornering (49%), and gear shifts (47%). However, only a quarter (26%) believe the audio in racing games mirrors actual driving sounds. Nevertheless, sound remains a vital component for over three-quarters (78%) of gamers, with almost a third (30%) considering it the most crucial element of the driving experience.
This is where Hyundai's N Active Sound + in the innovative IONIQ 5 N comes into play. This feature provides three realistic, dynamic sound settings, one originating from the gaming world for Hyundai’s N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo concept car. Features like this and the N Grin Shift ensure that electric vehicles (EVs) are as immersive and responsive as their predecessors.
"With one-third of players recognising that racing games have influenced their choice of car model, it's clear that both enjoyment and functionality must be prioritised in design. The technology in the IONIQ 5 N is vital for delivering an exhilarating driving experience, fulfilling what many felt was lacking in EVs," states Ashley Andrew, President of Hyundai & Genesis UK.
Hyundai’s study also disclosed that over three-quarters (77%) of individuals find virtual racing more thrilling than real-life driving, prompting Hyundai Motor UK to spearhead a new era of driving where the excitement cherished by gamers remains integral in the future of electric vehicles, as showcased in the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N.
