Adaptive In-Vehicle Virtual Reality for Reducing Motion Sickness: Manipulating Passenger Posture During Driving Events

Abstract

The rise of autonomous vehicles (AVs) has promoted the adoption of in-vehicle virtual reality (VR) for creating immersive experiences. However, these experiences can trigger motion sickness (MS) due to visual-vestibular mismatches. Traditional techniques, such as visual matching and scene manipulation, address MS but often neglect the impact of body posture changes. This study examines the effects of interactive VR tasks on passenger body posture during MS-inducing events, including turns and vertical displacements. Our findings reveal significant variations in user body postures relative to conditions with event-based designed interactive VR tasks, resulting in a reduction of MS symptoms. Specifically, participants engaged in interactive VR tasks showed improved posture alignment and body stability. These insights offer practical guidelines for developing adaptive VR content that proactively manages posture to alleviate MS, thereby enhancing passenger comfort in in-vehicle VR applications.