Recommendations for motion sickness in the backseat

[fullmetalbaal]

Super helpful thread - I'm going to buy an EmeTerm and see if it helps my daughter.
There's something about the Taycan in particular in our case - she is fine in the 911, Model X, many many other cars. The Taycan however? 5-10 min will do it on some days. It's just weird.

We've tried suspension settings, changing air conditioning settings, music, etc - so far nothing has helped.

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[Hirschaj]

+1 for trying sport or sport plus mode. I had a VW Passat Wagon years ago where people experienced motion sickness in the back seat. It was due to body roll. I put on stiffer springs (which also lowered the car) and the problem was solved.

 

[snstevens]

If you have Sport Sound, turn it on while she is in there. For some people the acceleration with no audible cues (shifting of transmission, engine revs) can cause motion sickness. There was a big discussion on the iX boards on Bimmerpost, and turning on the electric noise helped 99% of people with this issue.

I'm adding this to my list of actions...

 

[snstevens]

You say she's nine. That means she's on the phone. Doing that makes me queasy when my wife drives. Suggest she put the phone away and talk with grandpa and look out the window!

My son works for Apple, and he is very thoughtful about iPhones. Each of his daughters have Apple Watches for basic communication and simple messaging purposes (I use that sometime when picking them up), but neither has an iPhone yet. I think he is waiting until they go to High School.

 

[snstevens]

That being said, what I really came here to say is that Suncoast sells barf bags with the Porsche crest on them. They're US $200 for a four-pack.

Ok, so seriously, I bought Vomit Bags from Amazon a while back and they are a lifesaver. Very small when compressed and they fit nicely into the door pocket, and cheap (24 for $12). Same device as used at hospitals after surgery.

 

[Jhenson29]

Is she doing anything else while you’re driving?

My son (9yo) gets motion sickness in the 911, but usually only if he’s playing on his iPad, which we allow for longer road trips. He has not gotten sick in the Taycan though.

I occasionally get sick if I’m looking at my phone when riding in a car or if the temperature is too high. This is a common problem in Mexico when they don’t turn the AC on or if the AC doesn’t work well (and I think the bad roads make it worse) I had a two hour trip from Mexico City to Jilotepec last month and I was sick the whole time. It took me an hour to recover after I got to my hotel.

The temperature also seems to affect my son and he seems to do better if it’s a little colder.

 

[SergeyIndy]

Is she doing anything else while you’re driving?

My son (9yo) gets motion sickness in the 911, but usually only if he’s playing on his iPad, which we allow for longer road trips. He has not gotten sick in the Taycan though.

I occasionally get sick if I’m looking at my phone when riding in a car or if the temperature is too high. This is a common problem in Mexico when they don’t turn the AC on or if the AC doesn’t work well (and I think the bad roads make it worse) I had a two hour trip from Mexico City to Jilotepec last month and I was sick the whole time. It took me an hour to recover after I got to my hotel.

The temperature also seems to affect my son and he seems to do better if it’s a little colder.

This is a good point about temp to be a little cooler than may be totally comfortable.
I would also certainly check that your air is in full Auto which enables fresh air intake, rear vents are fully open (can be pointing away not to blow direct) and that internal only recirc button is not on that shuts off external air intake and just circles the same air inside. However, the draw back is that if it is a stop and go traffic with a lot of exhaust then that makes me car sick as well with the point being to have as fresh of the outside air possible moving through in Auto.

 

[Perry]

While the Taycan doesn't have one pedal driving, still make sure you have passive regen turned off.

I find that the biggest problem with EVs in this matter is that the instant acceleration invites a driving style where you're constantly micro-accelerating and decelerating which can be really rough on the passengers.

With my Tesla, this was extremely noticeable, which is why I always set the regen to low and the drive mode into normal or chill when carrying passengers. With the Taycan, I try to keep it in at least Normal mode and try to coast as much as I can.

 

[snstevens]

Is she doing anything else while you’re driving?

My son (9yo) gets motion sickness in the 911, but usually only if he’s playing on his iPad, which we allow for longer road trips. He has not gotten sick in the Taycan though.

I occasionally get sick if I’m looking at my phone when riding in a car or if the temperature is too high. This is a common problem in Mexico when they don’t turn the AC on or if the AC doesn’t work well (and I think the bad roads make it worse) I had a two hour trip from Mexico City to Jilotepec last month and I was sick the whole time. It took me an hour to recover after I got to my hotel.

The temperature also seems to affect my son and he seems to do better if it’s a little colder.

No, she doesn’t read or look at an iPad in the car. While I agree heat would make it worse, at the moment we’re having rain and cold weather in Seattle, so that’s not it.

I have just customized my Individual Drive Mode to feature Sport Suspension, no Regen, and the engine sound to see if that changes anything. I also purchased the EmeTerm device and will test it out on myself to make sure it is comfortable to wear, and then if the Individual Mode fails I plan to try that.

Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions!

 

[wmras]

While the Taycan doesn't have one pedal driving, still make sure you have passive regen turned off.

I find that the biggest problem with EVs in this matter is that the instant acceleration invites a driving style where you're constantly micro-accelerating and decelerating which can be really rough on the passengers.

With my Tesla, this was extremely noticeable, which is why I always set the regen to low and the drive mode into normal or chill when carrying passengers. With the Taycan, I try to keep it in at least Normal mode and try to coast as much as I can.

Excellent advice! One of our local salesmen commented he gets sick in the rear seat with people test-driving Taycans - the customers do not realize how much they are accelerating and jabbing the throttle.

I personally use Sport suspension, lowest level, and auto regen and light accelerating with passengers. Coasting when you let up on the throttle is the smoothest passenger experience. Smooth is the order of the day - pretend there is a wedding cake on the back seat (a real-life experience for me). This also means looking further ahead when cornering - I can sense my wife tensing when I am late turning in.

One pedal driving is the fastest way to make sensitive rear passengers sick - it is nearly impossible to make a constant smooth speed.

 

[f1eng]

She’s 5 feet, nine years old, and somewhat skinny. The middle space in the back and a booster just aren’t an option but thanks for the thought.

My 9-year old grandaughter sits in the front seat on a booster whenever we are alone together but mainly because she loves the massage backrest!
She hasn't complained of feeling sick in the back seat with booster cushion so far.
Generally she doesn't complain but she was sick at night on a twisty road trip (A5 through Snowdonia in Wales) in another car, I am more circumspect with my driving with her since.

 

[whitex]

I wanted to to chime in as I get nauseated in back car seats of car too (or in airplanes unless I can see out the window while taking off. landing, or maneuvering - my body senses even small change in pitch, yaw, or roll, and with lack of visual queues consistent with the sensed motion I get nauseated). Unfortunately I only have things others have already suggested - middle seat to make give unobstructed view forward (which unfortunately @snstevens you don't have), do not look down at phone or books, possibly stiffen the suspension (though even at Normal Taycan does not float like a boat, or a Caddy - such suspensions make me nauseated even as a driver). My son is similar to me, hence strongly prefers the front seat or at least middle seat on the back, my wife is fine in the back seat as long as she's not reading on the phone, my daughter on the other hand couldn't care less, she can be on the back, on her phone, and she loves maximum acceleration too (as a kid she used to call it "turbo!" and smile ear to ear every time I floored the accelerator in whatever car I had back then - she definitely got a kick out of the Teslas I was driving for a decade).

 

[Crazymind]

Easy solution. Leave the kid at home.

This said I have got 1 4 years old and one 2 years old in the back and they don’t experience any similar issue. I would double the seat if it’s tight e Pugh to the seat. Or he a lower gravity center seat.

 

[RGBArgee]

I pick up my granddaughter in my Taycan every week and take her to Starbucks to study math and then to a choir lesson. The drive segments are not very long, maybe 5 to 10 minutes max.

During those times though my granddaughter complains of motion sickness. She sits in the backseat because of her age and weight so I can’t move her to the front. She says this is not a problem in her parents car.

Has anyone else had to deal with something like this? I would appreciate suggestions.

General rule drive slowly, tell her to look out the window and sick bag at the ready!

 

[snstevens]

I wanted to to chime in as I get nauseated in back car seats of car too (or in airplanes unless I can see out the window while taking off. landing, or maneuvering - my body senses even small change in pitch, yaw, or roll, and with conflicting visual queues I get nauseated). Unfortunately I only have things others have already suggested - middle seat to make give unobstructed view forward (which unfortunately @snstevens you don't have), do not look down at phone or books, possibly stiffen the suspension (though even at Normal Taycan does not float like a boat, or a Caddy - such suspensions make me nauseated even as a driver). My son is similar to me, hence strongly prefers the front seat or at least middle seat on the back, my wife is fine in the back seat as long as she'd not reading on the phone, my daughter on the other hand couldn't care less, she can be on the back, on her phone, and she loves maximum acceleration too (as a kid she used to call it "turbo!" and smile ear to ear every time I floored the accelerator in whatever car I had back then - she definitely got a kick out of the Teslas I was driving for a decade).

This is helpful. Thanks!

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