Using a smartphone while travelling in a moving car can leave some people feeling dizzy or nauseous. Google has now introduced a new Android feature designed specifically to make this experience more comfortable.
Called Motion Assist, the feature uses your phone's motion sensors to display moving visual markers around the edges of the screen. These markers move according to the movement of the vehicle, helping reduce the mismatch between what your eyes see and what your inner ear senses. The feature is currently rolling out to some Android 17 devices.
How does Motion Assist work?
When you're sitting inside a moving vehicle and looking at your phone, your eyes see a relatively stationary screen while your inner ear detects acceleration, braking and turns. This difference can contribute to motion sickness.
Motion Assist attempts to bridge that gap by showing animated dots or shapes along the edges of the display. When the vehicle turns or moves, the visual markers respond to that movement.
The idea is simple: give your eyes an additional visual indication that matches the movement your body is experiencing.
How to turn on Motion Assist
If the feature is available on your Android 17 phone, you can look for Motion Assist within the phone's Google settings or related accessibility/device settings.
Google is also providing controls that allow users to customize aspects such as the appearance and opacity of the visual markers. On supported devices, Motion Assist can also be enabled automatically when the phone detects that you're travelling in a moving vehicle.
You can also access it from Quick Settings
For supported Android 17 devices, the feature can be turned on or off without having to repeatedly search through the settings.
This makes it particularly convenient for people who only experience discomfort while travelling. You can activate it before starting a journey and switch it off once you reach your destination.
It isn't just a visual effect
Motion Assist is designed around the way the human balance system works. The eyes and inner ear both provide information about movement, and when those signals don't agree, some people can experience motion sickness.
The animated indicators are intended to provide additional visual information that corresponds with the vehicle's movement. Early reports suggest the feature can make phone use more comfortable for some users, although its effectiveness can vary from person to person.
Android 17 has several other useful tricks
Motion Assist is only one of the newer features arriving with Android 17. Google has also introduced improvements such as floating Bubbles for multitasking, enhanced screen recording and additional privacy and security controls.
The Bubbles update is particularly useful because users can keep multiple supported apps accessible in floating windows rather than repeatedly switching between them.
So, if your phone has received Android 17, it's worth exploring the settings instead of relying only on the features visible on the home screen. You may find several useful tools that can make everyday smartphone use considerably easier.
