Motion Assist, Google’s on-screen tool designed to ease car sickness, has finished rolling out to Pixel and Samsung Galaxy handsets running Android 17. The feature was announced two weeks earlier as part of the September Android Drop, and it is now widely available on eligible devices.
The tool places moving shapes along the edges of the display to help bridge the gap between what the eyes see and the motion of a vehicle. Owners of a Pixel 11 Pro XL or a Galaxy Z Fold 8 will likely find it already waiting in their settings, provided Google Play services has updated to version 26.33.32.
Which devices support Motion Assist
The requirement is Android 17. Although Motion Assist arrives through Google Play services, the new operating system is essential, so the Pixel 10, Pixel 11 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series are covered at launch. Owners of other handsets will need to wait for their manufacturer’s Android 17 update before the feature becomes available.
Once active, Motion Assist can start automatically when the phone detects that the user is in a car, bus or train. Google also recommends adding a Quick Settings tile so the feature can be switched on or off from any screen.
The accompanying guidance notes that results vary, that a small percentage of users may feel worse, and that it should not be used while driving.
How to enable the feature
Open the Settings app and search for “motion assist”, or navigate through Settings, Google, the All services tab, then Personal and device safety. Switching on “Start in a moving vehicle” makes the shapes appear automatically during travel. If the menu is not yet present, restarting the phone and confirming that Google Play services has updated should resolve the issue.
Apple introduced a comparable feature, Vehicle Motion Cues, in May 2024 and shipped it with iOS 18 the following September. On the iPhone, the dots work over the lock screen and inside apps such as YouTube. Owners of an iPhone 17 Pro Max, having had the feature for two years, see no change from this rollout.
Samsung’s earlier response to motion sickness was a separate app that played a 100 Hz tone, and the Fold 8 now gains Google’s overlay in addition to that option. The version Google has shipped offers more customisation than Apple’s, adding shapes and randomisation alongside colour and opacity controls.
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Image: phonearena.com
