During a year of driving his daughter to school in a new electric vehicle, Phil Bellamy realized that she was anxious about taking a 10-minute ride every day.
While Bellamy, 51, had no issues with the car, his teenage daughter experienced nausea each time she got in. Research indicates that this is a common problem: many individuals who do not suffer from motion sickness in traditional vehicles find themselves affected by it in electric vehicles (EVs).
Concerned about his family’s aversion to riding in his car, Bellamy altered his driving style and considered purchasing a different vehicle, but the issue persisted. His daughters try to avoid traveling with him whenever they can.
“If we go on a trip, they make sure to take motion sickness tablets immediately. They wouldn’t even think of getting in the car without them,” he explains.
Bellamy appreciates driving electric cars for their quietness and smoothness compared to traditional combustion engine vehicles, though he hopes manufacturers will address the concerns of passengers affected by motion sickness.
Factors contributing to motion sickness include the relatively rapid acceleration of EVs compared to gasoline vehicles, the regenerative braking system, and the absence of sensory cues such as engine noise and vibrations while driving.
Research from China, a major electric vehicle producer, has found that EVs tend to induce more severe motion sickness symptoms than traditional vehicles.
Content creator Atia Chain from London shared her experiences on TikTok about suffering from car sickness in an EV this summer when she relied on Ubers for transportation.
Chain reports feeling “extreme nausea” shortly after getting in the EV, which ceased soon after she exited. It took her some time to realize that this happened only in electric vehicles. Now, she tends to avoid Ubers due to the prevalence of EVs.
“Usually, the nausea started right away as soon as the trip began. The first minute was particularly bad. I would roll down the window and find something to distract myself,” she shares. “The sickness lingered throughout the journey. If the Uber ride was 20 minutes long, I’d count down the minutes until I could get out.”
John Golding, a professor of applied psychology at Westminster University in London, explains that motion sickness has a particularly strong effect on passengers because it relates to their ability to anticipate changes in movement.
While the driver controls the vehicle, passengers, especially those seated in the back, may feel helpless. This could pose challenges for the future of self-driving cars.
Golding notes that the automotive industry is aware of the issue of motion sickness among some EV passengers and is actively researching ways to help them predict movement changes. For instance, car seat vibrations may alert passengers to changes in direction.
He suggests that individuals may also use motion sickness medication or adopt behavioral changes to cope. “The simplest solution is to sit in the front seat and have a clear view. It allows you to see and anticipate what will happen next, whereas sitting in the back means you can only see what has already happened,” he advises.
Consider motion sickness medication which can be obtained in patches or tablets from pharmacies, helping manage how your brain and body react to movement. It’s most effective when taken before travel.
Wear acupressure bands which some studies suggest may help, though results could primarily be attributed to the placebo effect. “If it works for you, don’t dismiss it,” Golding remarks.
Listen to low-frequency sounds. A study from Nagoya University in Japan indicates that certain vibrations at 100Hz may stimulate a part of the inner ear responsible for detecting gravity and acceleration.
Source: www.theguardian.com
