How to Make Reading in Fully Automated Vehicles a Better Experience? Effects of Active Seat Belt Retractions and a 2-Step Driving Profile on Subjective Motion Sickness, Ride Comfort and Acceptance

The paper presents a study on motion sickness mitigation while driving with a fully automated vehicle on a test track. 31 participants who were susceptible to motion sickness experienced a 25-minuntes drive with multiple motion sickness provoking decelerations and accelerations while reading a text on a tablet. The participants experienced three different conditions in separate sessions: 1) control condition without countermeasure, 2) drive with active seat belt tensioner, 3) drive with a two-step driving profile. The participants rated their motion sickness on the MSTT Scale (during the drive) and on the MSAQ (pre and post drive). After each drive, drivers rated their subjective experience of vehicle behavior and the countermeasures. On MSTT, the results showed no significant differences in the development of motion sickness across the three conditions. However, the two-step driving profile reduced the development of motion sickness assessed via MSAQ. Furthermore, both countermeasures seem to have the potential to positively influence the perception of the automation as safer, more trustworthy and more reliable.