Will Apple Cars Be Windowless? It applies for a VR self-driving car patent, which may reduce the symptoms of motion sickness

 　　Apple's virtual reality (VR) vehicle system combines unmanned driving, using virtual and augmented reality (AR), and sensors to enable the vehicle system to integrate with VR systems, according to a patent approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in May. Matching the visual effects of VR, it brings an immersive experience to the passengers.

　　Passengers can view the outside of the car by using VR glasses to access cameras outside the car, rather than through traditional windows. At the same time, the patent indicates that it will help to eliminate signs of motion sickness in car passengers. "The VR system can provide a virtual view, matching visual cues to the physical movements experienced by the passenger," Apple said in the patent.

Cars and VR Systems

　　VR is the interaction between the user's sensory experience and the three-dimensional virtual artificial environment generated by the computer, so that the user can have an immersive experience. Looking around with the eyes of VR, users can touch and move in the virtual scene from the first perspective.

　　According to Apple's patent description, the technology uses the entire vehicle as part of a VR system to bring passengers a fresh and realistic experience, such as any virtual experience set by the passenger's expectations, and the environment to replace reality view of the world.

　　In some implementations, vehicle systems can be integrated with VR systems to provide physical effects with virtual experiences, such as high winds or heat waves through the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in the vehicle, surround sound and sound systems, and seating Acceleration or motion effects provide passengers with a fully immersive experience.

　　In addition, the VR system can be combined with moving vehicle systems to provide an enhanced immersive virtual experience for passengers in moving vehicles, which is not possible with existing stationary VR systems. For example, speed changes and the sense of gravity in the virtual world can be matched to, or augmented with, the driving motion of the vehicle itself. This process further enhances the user's sense of realism compared to sitting in a room using a stationary simulator or wearing a headset to experience VR.

How to prevent motion sickness?

　　Motion sickness is caused by an imbalance in what people see and feel, specifically, when the vehicle is moving forward while the passenger's body is stationary. Motion sickness is accompanied by signs of dizziness, headache, vomiting, and nausea, and many people also experience this discomfort while browsing their phones or reading in the car.

　　And with VR systems in moving vehicles, some passengers may be more prone to motion sickness than others. Notably, Apple said in the patent that the VR system can adjust the VR environment and experience to suit the preferences and inclinations of different passengers, integrating vehicle motion into the virtual experience to help prevent passengers from motion sickness. Apple solves this problem by matching the surrounding environment in VR to the movement of the vehicle.

　　In some implementation cases of the patent, the VR system can play a role in monitoring passengers' discomfort or motion sickness symptoms. When the passengers are detected with signs of motion sickness, the system can change the virtual environment in the car to alleviate the symptoms of motion sickness for the passengers. . For example, the patent mentions: "The VR system can adjust the mapping ratio, that is, slow down the visual cue, to achieve a 1:1 mapping ratio with the actual vehicle speed or acceleration."

　　At the same time, it can also be adjusted by moving the seat, similar to the VR chair It has been used to solve the motion sickness problem in VR applications. Therefore, the virtual environment provides a balance between reality and visually perceived motion to reconcile the physical discomfort caused by the driving of the vehicle.

　　According to the analysis report released by ADRUIT, the global virtual car market has continued to expand in recent years, and the overall market size is expected to expand to US$14,700, with a compound annual growth rate of 47.1% during the forecast period from 2021 to 2028.

　　From the application level, VR cars enhance and facilitate the consumer experience, thus bringing the possibility of the growth of the global virtual car market.

　　However, the patent filing doesn't mean Apple will put the Apple Car program into production anytime soon, and there's no official word on Apple's production of the car. According to industry experts, Apple Cars may also partner with mainstream manufacturers to provide hardware and software for automakers and other partners.