Have you ever experienced dizziness or nausea while using your phone in a car? Google has introduced a new feature called Motion Assist in Android 17 to specifically address this car sickness problem. This technology, similar to Motion Cues that Apple introduced in 2024, is now available on select Pixel phones.
Car sickness occurs when your eyes are focused on the phone screen while your body senses the car's movement, causing a sensory mismatch in your brain. This technology uses the phone's accelerometer and gyroscope to display small dots on the screen edges that move in sync with the car's motion. When the car turns right, the dots move left; when the car brakes, they move forward. This effectively resolves the disconnect between what your eyes see and what your inner ear perceives.
Users can easily customize the color, shape, and visibility of these dots to their preference. The feature can be set to activate automatically when the car starts moving, and can also be toggled on or off quickly from Quick Settings whenever needed. For people who frequently use their phones while traveling, this feature is truly welcome news.
Ref: The Verge
