Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
With iOS 18, Apple is tackling a challenge many of us face on the road: motion sickness. Introducing Vehicle Motion Cues, an innovative feature designed to make traveling in cars more comfortable for passengers prone to queasiness. By using advanced motion sensors, AI, and real-time data, this feature provides subtle cues that help your brain and body stay in sync, reducing the disconnect that often causes nausea.
Whether you’re scrolling through your phone, reading emails, or simply trying to relax as a passenger, Vehicle Motion Cues work behind the scenes to ease that unsettling feeling. The system gently aligns visual feedback with the vehicle’s movements, creating a smoother sensory experience. It’s like having a built-in comfort assistant that makes long trips or bumpy roads less of a hassle.
Beyond just comfort, this feature highlights Apple’s commitment to making technology more human-centric and practical. With Vehicle Motion Cues, iOS 18 isn’t just upgrading your tech; it’s upgrading your entire travel experience.
Curious about how it works and what it means for the future of in-car comfort? Let’s dive in!
Table of contents
What is Motion Sickness?
A difference between actual and expected motion can result in motion sickness. The situation occurs when you are being moved by a vehicle while your body remains motionless, such as when you are standing on a boat deck or riding in a car.
Motion sickness symptoms develop slowly or all at once. Common symptoms include:
- Dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headache
- Salivating more than usual
- Rapid breathing
- Sweating, particularly a cold sweat
- Feeling irritable
- Fatigue
Virtual motion sickness, often known as VMS, is a type of motion sickness that some people experience when playing video and virtual reality games. There are strategies to avoid motion sickness or lessen its effects, and we will tell you all about the latest advancements in the form of Vehicle Motion Cues. But before that, let’s take a look at what causes motion sickness.
Why Do People Experience Motion Sickness?
To date, experts aren’t totally certain. Over the years, different theories have been proposed, and there’s not one that all researchers agree on. Sensory conflict, or sensory mismatch, is the most well-known theory.
According to the theory, your body normally uses sensory data from your eyes, vestibular system (inner ear, measures balance), and proprioceptive system (joints and muscles, manages body awareness) to get a decent sense of where you are in space. All of this sensory information usually coincides. However, if there is a difference between what you see and what you feel when you’re in a car or other moving vehicle, you might develop motion sickness.
When you fix your gaze on something stationary within the automobile, such as a book or your phone, this effect becomes even more noticeable. Your eyes cannot detect acceleration, turning, or anything else while you are reading a book, but the other two systems can. When your eyes, inner ear, muscles, and joints, the elements of your body that feel motion, all send contradictory signals to your brain, motion sickness results.
Anticipating motion also seems to play a significant part in automobile sickness. This is the reason why specialists frequently advise sitting in the front seat of a car and facing straight ahead so you can see the road and anticipate what’s coming. It’s also one of the possible causes of the miserable feeling you get when you look down at your phone, a problem Apple wants to address with its new iOS 18 feature.
How Does Vehicle Motion Cues Help?
Apple has tried to make iPhone or iPad usage when riding in a moving vehicle as comfortable as possible with their new iOS 18 feature, Vehicle Motion Cues.
To lessen sensory conflict without detracting from the main material, Vehicle Motion Cues use animated dots on the screen’s edges to show changes in vehicle motion. Vehicle Motion Cues detects when a user is in a moving vehicle and reacts appropriately using sensors that are already included in iPhones and iPads.
By using visual components on the display that show changes in motion in real-time, Vehicle Motion Cues was made to eliminate the sensory conflict that results in motion sickness. When the vehicle turns, accelerates, or brakes, the dots move in the opposite direction to indicate the change in movement.
For instance, the dots on your screen travel toward the bottom while the car accelerates. This is the same way that road markings would move if you were gazing out the front windshield. In the device’s settings, you can toggle this feature on and off or configure it to turn on automatically when it detects that you’re in a moving car.
How To Get Started
For all iOS 18 users, follow the steps below to avail this feature.
- Open “Settings” on your iPhone or iPad.
- Click on “Accessibility.”
- Select “Motion.”
- Tap “Show Vehicle Motion Cues,” then select an option.
If you choose “Automatic,” the feature will automatically turn on as your iPhone detects that you’re riding in a car or other on-road vehicle. The dots will hide when the motion stops. If you want to manually turn it on or off, you can do so through the Control Center.
- Activate the Control Center with the help of a simple diagonal swipe from the top-right corner of the screen.
- Press and hold on any space in the Control Center to enter the customize mode, then select “Add a Control” at the bottom.
- Go to the “Vision Accessibility” controls. You can also search “Motion” in the input field.
- Choose Vehicle Motion Cues.
- Press and hold any space in the Control Center in order to exit the customize mode.
- Tap on the Vehicle Motion Cues button, then make a choice between “On” or “Only in Vehicle.”
Hopefully, this way, you or your children will be able to see what’s on the screen for the entire trip without feeling queasy. However, there is no assurance that the feature will work for everyone.
Does It Truly Work?
Research has demonstrated that there are large individual differences when it comes to motion sickness and the effectiveness of its countermeasures. This implies that while Apple’s application may be effective for some users, it is not for everyone.
However, there is promise in Vehicle Motion Cues. Once more, visual clues that indicate your movement may be able to reduce the sensory conflict that arises when you gaze at your device while driving. Furthermore, Apple’s latest feature is not a surprise; rather, it is a reflection of a broader study on motion sickness.
For instance, in 2019, computer scientists from the University of Salzburg in Austria created and evaluated Bubble Margin, an Android app that functions similarly to Apple’s version. Despite having only 10 participants, they discovered that those who used the app while reading had motion sickness at considerably lower rates than those who did not.
Dr. Keshavarz, a senior scientist studying human perception and motion sickness, says that the iOS 18 feature in question could be a good solution for some people in theory. However, the true measure of its effectiveness is still uncertain. To truly understand its potential, we need more people to try it and share their experiences.
It Could Make Things Worse
In some cases, Vehicle Motion Cues may potentially exacerbate symptoms for certain users. The dots might lag in trying to match the motion variations. Some people have reported facing problems getting it to activate and react to the movement of the train or vehicle they were on.
The last thing one wants is to add another confusing sensory input that is not accurate, and presenting visual cues that don’t exactly match the motion could make things worse. For instance, a recent study discovered that moving or dynamic visuals caused motion sickness more quickly and intensely than static visual input.
But There Is Hope
Motion sickness can become habitual. In this way, it’s similar to having sea legs. The more you expose yourself to it, the better you will be able to cope.
Although our brains are highly adaptive, most aren’t developed to handle the strange sensory mix that occurs when you read or use a phone in the back of a car. You may be less likely to become ill as a result of your brain learning to predict how it will feel after repeated practice.
This change can be quite quick for some people. By providing them with the appropriate visual guidance to support that adaptation, Vehicle Motion Cues can help those people. However, for others, it may take a long while to habituate, or the app might just not work at all.
A Word of Caution
When driving a moving vehicle or in other circumstances where safety must be prioritized, it is not advisable to employ Vehicle Motion Cues. Take a look at important safety information for iPhones for details on avoiding distractions that could put you in danger.
It’s Worth a Try!
Apple’s Vehicle Motion Cues feature in iOS 18 marks a significant step toward making travel more comfortable for those prone to motion sickness. While its effectiveness may vary from person to person, it reflects Apple’s innovative approach to solving real-world problems through technology. With continued advancements, features like this could redefine the way we experience car rides, ensuring comfort and convenience go hand in hand.
Visit Inside Tech World today for more insightful articles on how to optimize your everyday life with Apple’s innovative features and make the most of their powerful technologies!
FAQs
What is the purpose of Vehicle Motion Cues in iOS 18?
Vehicle Motion Cues aim to reduce motion sickness by providing real-time visual feedback that aligns with vehicle movements, helping users feel more comfortable while using their devices in a moving car.
How does Vehicle Motion Cues work?
Using motion sensors and AI, animated dots on the screen react to vehicle movements (like acceleration or turning) to minimize sensory conflict, which is a common cause of motion sickness.
Does Vehicle Motion Cues work for everyone?
Its effectiveness varies. While some users may find relief, others might experience little to no improvement or even worsened symptoms depending on their sensitivity to motion sickness.
How do I enable Vehicle Motion Cues on my iPhone or iPad?
Go to Settings > Accessibility > Motion, and toggle on Show Vehicle Motion Cues. You can choose to turn it on manually or let it activate automatically when in a moving vehicle.
Can I use Vehicle Motion Cues while driving?
No, it’s not recommended for drivers. This feature is designed for passengers to use their devices comfortably in a moving car.