Android is getting Motion Assist to cure car sickness
Google is rolling out Motion Assist in Android 17 to reduce motion sickness in moving vehicles using moving peripheral dots.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Google is rolling out the new Motion Assist feature on Android 17.
- The feature helps reduce or eliminate motion sickness while using phones in cars.
- Dots on the screen periphery move in sync with vehicle acceleration and turns.
- Users can adjust opacity and configure automatic activation upon motion detection.
Google is rolling out a new Android feature designed to reduce or completely eliminate motion sickness experienced when using a smartphone inside a moving vehicle. Dubbed Motion Assist by Google, the feature bears a strong resemblance to Apple’s Motion Cues, which was first introduced in 2024. According to Android Authority, the Android 17 feature is rolling out in phases, with selected Pixel phones receiving it first.
The science behind these moving dots relies on the device's accelerometer and gyroscope. The system places dots around the periphery of the display that move in harmony with the car's motion. When the vehicle turns right, the dots sweep across the screen to the left; when the car brakes, the dots slide forward. This addresses the sensory conflict that occurs when staring at a static display while the inner ear senses turning, braking, and accelerating.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Thomas Ricker, Deputy Editor at The Verge, shared from personal experience that the technology genuinely works. As an avid vanlifer who often works on a MacBook and iPhone from the passenger seat during road trips, he noted that activating this anti-nausea feature is essential for him to stomach the ride, adding that his wife has also become a convert to the technology.
Motion sickness is typically triggered by a sensory mismatch between the eyes, which report a stationary environment when looking at a phone screen, and the inner ear, which detects motion and acceleration. Features like Motion Assist mitigate this by providing peripheral visual cues that align with the vehicle's actual movement, helping the brain process motion correctly and stave off nausea.
Google allows users to customize the opacity of the motion indicators and select from various shapes and colors. Additionally, the feature can be configured to turn on automatically when a moving vehicle is detected, or it can be toggled quickly via a tile in the Quick Settings menu.
However, the feature has not yet arrived on a pair of Pixel devices tested by the publication. Users who receive the update can locate Motion Assist within Google Settings under Your Profile and All Services.
Source: The Verge
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment