Google launches Motion Assist for Android 17 to reduce motion sickness

Google has begun rolling out Motion Assist for Android 17, a feature designed to mitigate motion sickness, or kinetosis, when users look at their smartphones inside moving vehicles. The system works by projecting animated visual indicators—such as dots or shapes—along the edges of the screen. These graphics move in synchronization with the vehicle's inertia, using the phone's accelerometer and gyroscope to align visual input with the body's physical sensations.

Users can access the feature through Settings under Google services and Personal & device safety, or by adding a Quick Settings tile for manual control. The tool allows for customization of the visual elements, including color, shape (circles, squares, pentagons, or diamonds), and opacity. While the feature can be set to activate automatically when a moving vehicle is detected, Google notes that results are not guaranteed.

This release follows a similar implementation by Apple, which introduced Vehicle Motion Cues in iOS 18. The Android rollout is currently being deployed via Google Play services, with availability varying by device and software version.