General Motors has applied for a patent for anti-motion sickness technology for self-driving cars.
GM states in the application, which was submitted with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), that even if autonomous vehicles become more common, consumers may still be hesitant to ride in them. A self-driving car that induces motion sickness is unlikely to make a good first impression.
According to GM, motion sickness is more likely to arise when a passenger is distracted by anything else, such as reading a book or browsing through a phone. When they no longer have to drive themselves, many individuals are expected to perform things like this in automobiles. Eliminating motion sickness is extremely crucial in self-driving automobiles.
GM proposed a lighting and picture system to graphically portray the forces of acceleration, braking, and cornering. This might be in the form of a vehicle image on the screen, or shifting color or light patterns. A sound system or haptic feedback might also be utilized to have a similar effect, according to GM.
According to GM, this not only helps match a person's sensory experience with the forces operating on their body, so addressing the root of motion sickness, but it also builds trust by offering more information about what the car is doing.
It's uncertain if this technology will make it to production, but GM is pressing forward with autonomous car development. In San Francisco, GM-owned Cruise is on the verge of delivering autonomous taxi trips to the general public. Cruise is presently using modified Chevrolet Bolt EV hatchbacks, but will eventually transition to the Origin, a purpose-built car. It will be unveiled in 2020 and constructed at GM's Factory Zero factory in Detroit.