Be careful in your first ride of your brand new luxury self-driving Mercedes or Tesla - you don't want to spew chunks over the leather interior.
Scientists at the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute have found up to 12% of people could experience moderate to severe motion sickness in self-driving vehicles, meaning one-tenth of people who splash out on an expensive new automated automobile might end up splashing out their lunch on the seats.
The reason passengers get car sick - but the driver doesn't - is because your eyes don't match up with what your body is feeling. This means anyone watching the road at all times will probably be fine, but might not be able to watch TV or read in your self-driving car without getting queasy.
Which is fine, because most people say they would watch the road anyway:
No word on what "Other" means, but we've got a few guesses.
Driving In The Future: 6 Recent Car Features You Didn't Know About
Driverless cars(01 of06)
Open Image ModalAre you too tired to finish your long drive home? Well, then it’s simply a matter of programming your car to continue driving for you while you rest. The car, guided by a system of sensors and cameras, safely gets you to your destination. And fleets of these driverless vehicles could be hitting city streets sooner than you think.Britain has already started testing driverless cars for their inevitable appearance on public roads. They’re not the first though — some states in the US have also started testing driverless cars and are passing legislation to suit. (credit:The Telegraph)
Truly smart cars(02 of06)
Open Image ModalIf we can make a car that drives itself, why not make a car that can learn as it drives? Like something out of a sci-fi novel, these cars will be able to take and analyze data about you and predict where you’re going before you even point your front wheels in a particular direction. Not only that, but car companies are developing systems that maximize fuel economy and save power by monitoring all electrical systems. (credit:Wikimedia)
Driver monitors(03 of06)
Open Image ModalIn the near future, while cars monitor themselves, they’ll also be monitoring you. Drivers get behind the wheel distracted, tired or even impaired, and that can cause accidents. The University of Leicester is working on a system that uses LED lights to monitor whether a driver is distracted. This means that if the car decides the driver is distracted, it will take precautionary measures to keep the driver and others safe. This could include slowing down, pulling over or even refusing to start. Health-wise, cars will also be able to monitor your body’s vitals, and take action should a driver suffer a heart attack or stroke. (credit:Wikimedia)
External air bags(04 of06)
Open Image ModalCars have had airbags for decades — on the inside. The next step is external airbags. TRW Automotive, which develops safety technology, is experimenting with external airbags. The concept is that once a collision is detected (see smart cars), the bags would deploy prior to the collision, saving the car, the driver and pedestrians. (credit:Fast Company)
Energy storage(05 of06)
Open Image ModalNo, we’re not talking bigger gas tanks. We’re talking about turning the car into one big battery, storing either solar or kinetic energy across the entire vehicle. Several European companies are researching ways to turn side panels into extra batteries. The concept is that solar power or power generated by braking would be collected, stored, and used to charge a car’s batteries when needed. (credit:Wikimedia)
Vehicle to Vehicle Communications (AKA talking cars)(06 of06)
Open Image ModalDoes anyone remember Knight Rider, with K.I.T.T. the talking car? (Did we just date ourselves?) K.I.T.T. helped fight crime and traded clever banter with his driver, but in the future, cars will talk to each other and to the very streets they drive on. Cars will share information about traffic, weather and even their distances from each other with the ultimate goal of increased safety on the roads. The technology hasn’t been fully deployed but cars in Ann Arbor, Michigan are currently road-testing the technology as part of a program run by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the University of Michigan. (credit:Wikimedia)