Slide 1. Introduction.
The class develops why electric vehicles cause more motion sickness than gasoline vehicles, how to avoid it, and the implications for fleet management.
Slide 2. Electric vehicles cause more motion sickness than gasoline vehicles.
- Motion sickness caused by electric vehicles.
If you have gotten into an electric car and felt dizzy, don't worry, it's not unusual, and there's nothing wrong with you: according to several recent studies, the reason lies in our brains. Accustomed for years to the stimuli of combustion cars, our neurological system becomes disoriented when it does not receive signals such as the roar of the engine or the vibrations of the gearbox, which help us anticipate movement.
Social media is full of anecdotes about feeling dizzy in the passenger seat or in the back of electric cars, as well as questions from wary potential buyers.
William Emond, an expert researcher at the Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard, explains it perfectly: “The brain needs to adapt.” Although electric cars offer a smoother and quieter driving experience, that very smoothness can throw us off balance.
The key, according to William Emond, lies in anticipation: when the forces estimated by the brain differ from what is actually experienced, a neural conflict occurs which, if sustained, can trigger symptoms of motion sickness. That's why drivers don't usually get motion sickness: they know what's going to happen.
If you are the driver, your head moves when you turn the steering wheel to the left. Our brain responds to what it expects to happen. If you are a passenger, you cannot see those movements. If there is a certain amount of lateral acceleration, such as when taking a fast corner, this will increase the potential for dizziness and nausea.
Passengers are more likely to experience motion sickness and nausea in an electric vehicle than drivers, especially when sitting in the back seat.
- Silence, smoothness, and technology also cause motion sickness.
Although electric vehicles are gaining popularity, combustion cars still dominate the market. Drivers have more experience with gasoline cars and have therefore had more time to adapt to their specific signals. If a person has spent most of their life driving a combustion engine car, their brain anticipates acceleration after the roar of the engine, a signal that they are about to experience a change in speed. In an electric car, the electric motor does not make those noises.
Essentially, dizziness occurs when the inner ear, eyesight, and body send conflicting signals to the brain. In electric cars, this lack of coordination is amplified by the absence of engine noise, gearbox vibrations, or sensory cues that are present in gasoline or diesel cars.
Traveling in an electric vehicle for the first time presents a new movement environment for the brain, which needs to adapt, explains Emond.
When a new movement environment is encountered, the brain needs to get used to it because there is no prior experience in that context. That is why, for example, almost everyone gets motion sickness in zero-gravity environments, says Emond.
In addition to general unfamiliarity, research has found links between specific characteristics common to electric vehicles and motion sickness. A 2024 study concluded that there was a strong correlation between the severity of motion sickness and seat vibrations in electric vehicles, while a 2020 study found that the lack of engine noise in an electric vehicle could be a major factor contributing to increased feelings of motion sickness.
Most car manufacturers have adjusted the accelerators to be abrupt in electric vehicles in order to emphasize power, but the side effect is that they can jerk and cause dizziness for some occupants. Great care must be taken with how the accelerator is applied because it can cause a sudden back-and-forth movement for passengers.
In addition, the regenerative braking technology used in electric vehicles, in which the motor converts the car's kinetic energy when decelerating into electricity that is then stored in the battery, results in low-frequency deceleration, meaning that the vehicle slows down gradually and steadily over a relatively longer period of time, rather than quickly or in rapid pulses, altering the perception of movement. This low-frequency deceleration tends to be associated with higher levels of motion sickness.
A 2024 study suggested that this feature was one of the main triggers of motion sickness in electric vehicles. The study authors wrote: “Our results confirmed that higher levels of regenerative braking can cause motion sickness.”
The same is true of the instant acceleration typical of electric cars, which deliver all their torque from a standstill. If the driver does not have a delicate touch, the jerks when accelerating or decelerating become unpredictable for passengers. That is why experts recommend using “Eco mode” most of the time, which softens the throttle response and makes driving more progressive.
Single-pedal driving is a very different experience from internal combustion engines, but even if you learn to drive efficiently with a single pedal, the uncertainty of the environment, such as traffic, can still cause dizziness.
- The problem is growing, and solutions are already being sought.
Some researchers are already working on possible solutions. The most promising involve incorporating visual cues such as ambient lights or screens or vibrations synchronized with movement, which allow the passenger's brain to anticipate.
In the meantime, simple gestures for passengers such as avoiding looking at screens during the trip remain the best weapons against motion sickness.
Electric vehicles are now available that drive similarly to internal combustion engine vehicles. Hyundai's Ioniq 5 N, a sleek hatchback that develops 641 horsepower, comes with fake gears and artificial engine noises, offering an experience similar to that of a gasoline vehicle both on and off the track.
Hyundai's decision to include fake gears and noises (N e-shift and N active sound+) was not made to alleviate nausea or motion sickness, although these features may indirectly help reduce some of those effects for drivers and passengers of electric vehicles.
Another suggestion is for vehicle manufacturers to adjust the accelerator settings in electric vehicles to more closely mimic the movement and operation of gasoline cars.
- Tips for avoiding motion sickness in the car.
Each person experiences the symptoms of traveling in a car differently. The most common are:
- Nausea: This is the most common symptom. When it occurs, it is similar to the feeling we get when food does not agree with us and we feel sick to our stomach.
- Headaches or pressure in the temples.
- Cold sweats: Sudden changes in temperature are also common when we feel car sick. As a rule, they contribute greatly to making us even more disoriented.
- Blurred vision and loss of balance.
- Vomiting: Perhaps one of the most common outcomes when we suffer from severe motion sickness in the car.
- Fatigue and drowsiness: That is, feeling tired and unable to continue the journey. That is why it is important to make stops along the way, even if you have not experienced motion sickness.
- Paleness and fainting: in the worst cases, some people in more delicate situations may reach this extreme. We must be very careful, because these symptoms of dizziness can be associated with heatstroke or more serious problems.
It is possible to avoid these symptoms in the car. You just need to change certain habits and follow these recommendations:
- Always look ahead and avoid reading, looking at your cell phone, or using a tablet.
When your head is up and your eyes are fixed on the road, you can better perceive the car's movements and the maneuvers the driver is going to make: turning corners, passing cars, braking, among others. This way, your brain anticipates the movements and prepares for them without causing any consequences.
If you are focused on a book, reading messages, scrolling on your cell phone, or playing on a tablet, your brain will not be able to anticipate sudden movements, and you will also be forced to strain your eyes to see properly. This will only result in unpleasant dizziness. So, while the car is moving, it is best to find other types of entertainment.
- Medication.
There are over-the-counter medications available at pharmacies that can be recommended for the treatment and prevention of motion sickness, which prevent the nausea, vomiting, and dizziness that some people experience when traveling.
- Sit in the direction of travel.
When you cannot see the curves or the traffic, your brain does not anticipate the inertia you are going to feel. For this reason, people get motion sickness when traveling backwards, even on short trips such as urban journeys. In addition, as our body is not used to traveling in the opposite direction, it responds less well. Therefore, it is best to sit in the direction of travel.
This advice applies to buses and trains, but also to motorhomes, a very common means of transport on vacation. These can have rear seats in both directions, so it is best to choose to travel in the direction of travel. In addition, whenever possible, we recommend traveling in the front passenger seat or the rear center seat.
- Keep the car ventilated and at a comfortable temperature.
Maintaining a good environment inside the car is the best way to avoid unwanted dizziness. Bad smells and heat can contribute to feelings of nausea and fatigue. Therefore, make sure you ventilate the car thoroughly before starting your journey and maintain a temperature of between 22-24ºC during the trip.
- Choose the passenger seat.
The passenger seat is the best place for people who tend to get carsick, as it offers a better view of the road and makes it easier to find a point to focus on during the trip.
If you are traveling with a child who often gets carsick, the ideal place for them is the rear center seat. This seat, like the passenger seat, offers a better view of the scenery and is safer for preventing motion sickness.
- Hydration above all else.
Water is best, but you can also drink beverages that calm the stomach, such as herbal teas or ginger teas.
- Avoid alcohol, fasting, or overeating.
If you have drunk more alcohol than you should, you are sure to experience a bad feeling of dizziness within a few minutes. The same thing happens in a car, but the effect is multiplied by three. In fact, it is best not to drink a drop of alcohol even if you are not going to drive.
Similarly, heavy meals are allies of nausea. If we feel dizzy and nauseous, having an excessively full stomach will greatly increase the chances of vomiting. Likewise, don't drive on an empty stomach: give your body energy before a trip, especially if it is a long one.
- Drive smoothly.
To prevent any of the occupants from feeling dizzy, it is best to drive at a moderate speed, avoid sudden acceleration, and be careful when braking.
The way the car is driven directly influences the onset of symptoms such as vertigo and vomiting.
If you are a passenger, let the driver know as soon as you start to experience the first symptoms and ask them to drive more carefully. This is better than vomiting in the car and causing an inconvenience that could ruin the trip.
- Make frequent stops.
Making frequent stops during a car trip is a great help for people who tend to get carsick easily. This allows them to regain the sense of stability that is lost with movement. This may lengthen the journey time a little, but it is the best way to ensure the well-being of all occupants of the vehicle.
Motion sickness in cars is much more common in children over the age of 2 and pregnant women. Therefore, it is important to take extra care with them and take extreme precautions when starting the journey.
- Wear anti-motion sickness glasses.
For several years now, a gadget in the form of glasses has been on the market that its manufacturers claim is effective in preventing motion sickness. It is a device popularly known as anti-motion sickness glasses, although they are not really glasses because they do not have lenses, but they look like them.
The aim is to generate an infinite line that moves with the same movements as the vehicle. To achieve the desired effect, the user must wear the glasses for 10 to 12 minutes while the car is moving and focus on a static object, such as a book. The liquid contained in the spheres of the frame, both front and side, generates an effect that counteracts the lack of stability when we focus our gaze inside the car, which is the cause of motion sickness.
The gadget is effective in preventing motion sickness, but not in overcoming it. The idea is to always use the glasses before the first symptoms of motion sickness appear.
- What to do when you feel motion sickness?.
If, despite following these recommendations, you cannot avoid feeling dizzy, there are a number of things you can do to reduce the symptoms. For example:
1. Allow air to circulate naturally and make sure it is as cool as possible. Cool air reduces sweating. It also increases oxygen levels, which significantly reduces nausea.
2. Control your breathing: breathe deeply and slowly, which also reduces the feeling of dizziness.
3. If possible, you should stop the car, walk around a bit, drink some water or a soft drink, and take a break from the trip for a few minutes. Stretching your legs will help.
4. One of the best foods to prevent car sickness and its unpleasant symptoms is a green apple, with the skin on, especially when the dizziness starts.
5. When you start to feel dizzy, listening to music will be pleasant and may help to stop the symptoms at the root. Several studies have shown this to be the case.
- Implications for fleet management.
The main consequence, especially when using an electric vehicle for the first time, is motion sickness for the driver or passengers.
Although not everyone gets motion sickness in an electric vehicle, there will probably be drivers and users who do.
If the driver gets motion sickness, and it is continuous over time, the driver cannot work driving the vehicles in the fleet, because they may have an accident with all the negative consequences that entails.
If passengers get motion sickness, and it is continuous over time, they will not want to continue using our services, and we will lose them as customers.
A special case is car rental and leasing companies, where if the driver or passengers get motion sickness, they may change the vehicle for a gasoline-powered one or cancel the rental or leasing contract.
It is recommended that drivers and passengers be trained on the possible motion sickness that can occur when using an electric vehicle and the measures to prevent it, as described above.
This training can be a printed or PDF sheet provided to the driver or passengers, or a QR code that links to a website or YouTube video.
The driver must be trained to drive smoothly, without sudden acceleration or braking; everything must be very smooth, and it is recommended to use “Eco” mode.
In the case of drivers, it is recommended to monitor whether they have experienced dizziness, especially if they have never driven electric vehicles before.
Slide 3. Thank you for your time.
The class has developed why electric vehicles cause more dizziness than gasoline vehicles, how to avoid it, and the implications for fleet management, see you soon.
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