Self-driving cars are the future of our world, but motion sickness is a potential problem for passengers in cars that drive themselves.
Apple is working on a solution to this problem for the group of people that suffer from this type of sickness. Some people suffer from this ailment when they aren’t the driver, don’t sit in the front passenger seat, or forget to take their medicine on a long car ride. Unfortunately, future autonomous vehicles offer yet another challenge regarding the potential of riding in a self-driving car.
Future Autonomous Vehicles have Unique Seating Positions
While seats facing a different direction were out of style, station wagons featured a two-three-person jump seat in the back where kids were often seated. These children only had entry and exit through the wagon’s rear hatch, and these older vehicles weren’t equipped with modern safety features. Future self-driving cars should have seats that face each other to create virtual offices that can be used while driving to the actual office. With the car doing the driving, everyone is free to meet each other and socialize.
The addition of rear-facing seats is another potential cause of motion sickness. There’s already a population segment with trouble riding in cars with seats facing forward. Adding rear-racing seats will open up another group that will feel the ill effects of motion, no matter how smooth the ride. This could be a troublesome problem when riding around in a self-driving vehicle. Imagine getting into a new Apple Car with several passengers who all suffer from illness caused by movement. No one along for that ride will have a pleasant experience.
Does Apple Have the Solution to Motion Sickness?
Recently, Apple applied for and was granted a patent to offer virtual reality technology inside a self-driving car. This technology aims to solve all problems associated with motion sickness in vehicles. The system is expected to work in exciting ways to ensure sufferers of this motion problem can avoid getting ill and enjoy the drive, no matter which seat they’re located in. Initially, the system will use VR goggles to give passengers the view they desire, which won’t make them sick.
Before developing this VR technology for the Apple Car, the company is working to make these cars as smooth as possible for driving on the road. The idea is to move along the road smoothly so that passengers can feel like it’s not moving. To handle this function and feel like the car isn’t moving, Apple will offer VR headsets for passengers to wear during the ride. These screens will give the passengers a virtual environment that feels more normal to them. This could fix the problem of the typical illness felt when a vehicle is in motion.
How will this Technology Help Those Facing Rearward?
Regardless of the seating position, a person who suffers from motion sickness can see a screen that looks like the passenger is facing forward and moving in the direction of travel. Even if the screen shows a movie or television show, the peripheral view reflects the natural movement of the car to allow the passenger to continue to see a picture they’re used to when riding along. The idea is that this technology and view will prevent any sickness from being felt and for passengers in the Apple Car to avoid using medicine to handle the troubles facing them.
For Some, the Lack of Motion is a Problem
Seeing motion without feeling it can sometimes trigger the illness felt when moving. The patent Apple was granted also offers a solution for these passengers. The seat can provide a virtual motion that matches the movement shown on a screen to help some passengers avoid feeling this sickness. Of course, too many signs coupled with the visual matching for training can make this illness worse. Apple will need to test and work with this system for a while to figure out how it will work best for each segment of passengers.
Right Now, These are Just Ideas
Until we see the new VR technology offered in the Apple Car or other vehicles we drive, we will only know these things as ideas that haven’t come to fruition. Of course, motion sickness is only one of the problems facing Apple and other autonomous vehicles. Will the future Apple Car offer the VR tech to help sufferers avoid this sickness? We certainly hope so, but this technology and its cars are still a few years away.
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