You may already know that car travel is upsetting some people, right? The news is that scientists at the Ford Research and Innovation Center in Germany have now teamed up with motion sickness experts to investigate what causes this unpleasant sensation and thus find ways to prevent it. Predictably, some conclusions are already well known, but others broaden our range of information on the subject.

Researchers have found that two-thirds of the population should feel sick when driving by car at some point in their lives, especially in the passenger position - and even more if they are children or adolescents. Another point that aggravates the discomfort is sitting in the back seat and playing some games or watching movies upside down for more than 10 minutes.

This also should not do very well ...

A curious fact, however, is that all this discomfort is not usually manifested in babies - including many who are very fond of driving around and taking a nap - but only after we start walking. Perhaps by the same token, animals (including goldfish!) May also feel sick on trips.

“Sickness in the car is a complex problem. It is a natural reaction to an unnatural stimulus and has no cure, but symptoms can be relieved, ”explains Professor Jelte Bos of TNO Perception and Cognition Systems in Soesterberg, the Netherlands.

Innovations in sight!

The researchers realized that if the screen was raised higher and the volunteers could see more of the road on either side, seasickness did not usually appear. This is a very interesting finding for Ford, which now intends to do more studies to test alternative ways of informing passengers about more complicated routes, such as sharp turns or bumps, for example.

So beautiful, right? Too bad it can make you sick ...

“Seasickness in the car can turn the family's dream trip into a nightmare, leaving parents worried and looking at their children in the back seat, ” says Eike Schmidt, an engineer at Ford's Research and Innovation Center. “Comfort is an important focus when designing the cars of the future and we want to do everything possible to reduce this inconvenience.”

Meanwhile ... How to avoid motion sickness?

• Preferably sit in the front seat, or in the middle when in the back seat, so that you can see the road ahead.
• Drive smoothly and, whenever possible, avoid braking and sudden acceleration and pass over holes - your passengers thank you!
• Distract those who are ill - even family singing can help.
• It's okay to drink soda and eat cookies, but avoid drinking coffee.
• Use a pillow or stand to keep your head from shaking.
• Use the air conditioner to maintain fresh air circulation in the cabin.

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