It's true that Prime's face plate does make him emotionally less emotive - and for that reason I can totally understand why the Beast Wars and movie animators went for mouthes on Optimus Primal and movie Prime. A Transfan in the States who works with differently-abled children was telling me that last Halloween he wore the Optimus Prime voice changer helmet, but had to cut out the entire face-mask because the children would get frightened if they couldn't see his face.
Having a more exposed face does make people feel more at ease because it allows you to be better identified. The salute was born in feudal European battle where knights would lift up the visor on their helmets to expose and show their face so that others could identify friend or foe.
Ninja obviously obscured their face to hide their identity as guerilla fighters and assassins, but mecha (let's remember that in Diaclone Battle Convoy was a piloted mecha) such as Optimus Prime and Gundams - being piloted by "heroic" characters, had heads that were made to resemble Kabuto (Samurai helmets). Even Michael Bay stated that he wanted Optimus Prime's helmet to have a samurai aesthetic to it - and even hired a Japanese animator to design the look and transformation for Optimus Prime; so hence the paradox of being non-emotive yet noble.
Samurai in Yoroi (armour) with full Kabuto (helmet)
The heads on many 'heroic' Japanese mecha like Gundam were inspired by Samurai Kabuto
...as was the head of Optimus Prime
Having said that the design can equally be menacing too. A simply repaint as Black Convoy/Nemesis Prime suddenly looks sinister, and Darth Vader's helmet was also based on the Samurai Kabuto (although blended with WWII Nazi helmet for that extra touch of nastiness!)
Of course, a Samurai could be either a noble hero or terrifying villain depending on whether they were on your side or not! ;D
Video: The Ikeda-ya Incident (July 8, 1864)
Parental Advisory: Video contains animated violence
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