Electric vehicles could be making motion sickness worse for millions of travelers, and the very qualities that make them so widely appealing may be at the root of the problem. Researchers who investigated this in 2024, publishing their work in the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, ran a series of real-world driving tests with 16 participants known to suffer from motion sickness and found a consistent pattern: heavier reliance on regenerative braking produced measurably higher levels of nausea.
Regenerative braking is a defining characteristic of electric vehicles, using the drivetrain to convert the energy of slowing down into battery charge rather than releasing it as heat. From the passenger’s perspective it registers as an automatic reduction in speed the moment the driver eases off the pedal, arriving without the physical or audible cues that would typically signal a vehicle slowing down.
Those cues matter more than most passengers realize. Petrol and diesel engines telegraph their intentions continuously through engine note, drivetrain feedback, and the mechanical rhythm of gear changes, giving the body a steady stream of information to process and anticipate. Electric motors operate in near silence with virtually no mechanical complexity to speak of, which produces a smoother journey but also one that offers the brain far fewer signals to work from.
For passengers whose sensory systems are already prone to mismatch between perceived and actual movement, that signal deficit carries real consequences.
Congested urban roads intensify the effect, subjecting riders to relentless oscillation between powered acceleration and automatic braking that keeps the vestibular system perpetually off balance. Taking a rear seat or diverting attention to a screen removes what little visual grounding remains, compounding the problem further.
Several straightforward measures can reduce the likelihood of symptoms developing. Sitting in the front seat provides the greatest visual context for interpreting movement, while keeping a window open, traveling on a light stomach, and maintaining focus on the road ahead all help reduce the sensory load.
Behind the wheel, smooth and measured inputs make a considerable difference, particularly avoiding heavy reliance on regenerative deceleration in traffic and where the vehicle allows it, selecting a milder regenerative setting for congested conditions.
Looking further ahead, the rise of autonomous electric vehicles introduces a new dimension to this issue.
Fully self-driving cars are designed around the assumption that occupants will redirect their attention away from the road entirely, which would eliminate the last layer of anticipatory awareness that helps susceptible passengers stay comfortable. As that technology edges closer to mainstream adoption, how the human body copes with being a passive occupant in a near-silent, self-directed vehicle may become one of the more pressing but overlooked questions in automotive design.
Electric vehicle makers, such as Rivian Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: RIVN), can get a competitive edge over their rivals if they find an innovative way to limit the likelihood of someone developing motion sickness while riding in an EV.
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