Will Self-Driving Cars Make You Carsick?

The authors of one new study out of University of Michigan seem to think so.  As someone who suffers from nausea via virtually anything that moves, I find this to be a depressing prospect for what could otherwise be an environmentally beneficial technology (reducing car ownership and improving vehicle efficiency).

I’m in the minority though:

The results indicate that, for example, 6%-10% of American adults riding in fully self-driving vehicles would be expected to often, usually, or always experience some level of motion sickness. Analogously, 6%-12% of American adults riding in fully self-driving vehicles would be expected to experience moderate or severe motion sickness at some time.

I guess reading a book or checking email while a self-driving car jerks you around in unpredictable ways is not a recipe for keeping down your lunch. At least for the unlucky 6-12% of us.

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