Google introduces Motion Assist for Android 17 to reduce motion sickness

Google has begun rolling out a new feature called ‘Motion Assist’ for Android 17, designed to reduce motion sickness experienced when using a smartphone in a moving vehicle. The feature has started appearing in the Google Play settings for certain users, with early reports identifying its presence on devices such as the Pixel 11 Pro XL.

Motion Assist works by displaying moving shapes or dots around the edges of the screen. These visual cues help synchronize the user's visual perception with the physical movement of the vehicle, addressing the sensory mismatch between the eyes and the inner ear that typically causes nausea. Some versions of the feature may also include settings to automatically detect vehicle movement.

This technology follows a similar implementation by Apple, which introduced ‘Vehicle Motion Cues’ in iOS 18. While these features aim to improve user comfort, they are not intended to make phone usage safe for drivers, who should remain focused on the road.