Google is working on a native solution to one of the most annoying aspects of using a phone: car sickness while scrolling in the backseat of an Uber. The feature, currently called Motion Cues, appears to be dropping in a future update – probably Android 17 – and is intended to make it easier to read or watch videos without making your stomach churn.
What Google is working on
What Happened: Motion Cues is Google’s attempt to resolve “sensory conflicts.” That’s the fancy name for what happens when your eyes tell your brain that you’re sitting still (staring at a screen), but your inner ear is screaming that you’re moving (jumping around in a car). The separation causes nausea. Google’s fix adds small animated dots to the edges of your screen that move in sync with the vehicle. Giving your eyes a visual reference that corresponds to the movement of your body tricks your brain into relaxing.
It’s not a brand new concept. Apple added something similar, “Vehicle Motion Cues,” in iOS 18, and an Android app called KineStop has been doing this since 2018. However, Google wants to integrate it directly into the operating system, so you don’t need third-party tools.
Code experts have discovered that motion cues are hidden in newer Android Canary builds but are currently disabled. Currently, the trial version has one major flaw: it uses a standard overlay, meaning the dots disappear when you pull down your notifications, open Settings, or look at the lock screen. That defeats the purpose if the “cure” disappears half the time you use your phone.
Why this matters and what comes next
Why it matters: It looks like Google is fixing this overlay problem by building a dedicated Motion Cues API directly into SystemUI – the core part of Android that manages the status bar and navigation. This is a big deal because it bypasses the usual security rules that prevent apps from running on sensitive screens. If you move it to the system level, these motion points will remain visible no matter what you do on your phone.
They also have it firmly under control. Only privileged system apps get the keys to this API, so you don’t have to worry about random spam apps taking over your screen. It creates a dedicated, safe lane for accessibility features.
Why you should care: If you’re the type of person who has to put the phone down as soon as the car starts moving, this is a deciding factor. It could mean that you can finally finish a text, read an article, or watch YouTube on the way to work without feeling like you need a barf bag. It converts dead time during transport into actual usable time.
What’s next: Since this requires deep changes to the operating system, a full operating system upgrade will likely be required. We could see it sneaking into a late Android 16 update, but Android 17 seems like the safer bet. Don’t be surprised if Google renames it something like “Motion Assist” after launch and bundles it with the rumored Transit Mode, which will automatically optimize your phone when it detects you’re on the move. Until then, if you need relief now, you can grab KineStop from the Play Store.
