Hyundai Mobis to help Korea's Marine Corps alleviate motion sickness

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- South Korea's Hyundai Mobis said Thursday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea's Marine Corps to help soldiers aboard sea-going armored vehicles experience less motion sickness.

The automotive parts manufacturer's vehicle healthcare feature is to be applied to the Marine Corps amphibious assault vehicles.

The Seoul-based company, an affiliate of automaker Hyundai Motor, said the new technology would alleviate motion sickness for marines traveling between the rough sea and land.

Before actually deploying the technology for combat training, Hyundai Mobis plans to aggregate key data in the first half of next year.

The motion sickness reduction system is ancillary to the company's latest automotive features designed to enhance passenger comfort.

Last year, the company revealed a smart cabin controller that analyzes a driver's posture, heart rate, and brainwaves to help prevent drowsiness, stress, and motion sickness.

"Hyundai Mobis will provide the Marine Corps with an integrated motion sickness reduction solution tailored for harsh environments, combining hardware and software," the firm said in a statement.

"The solution includes movement-analysis sensors, environmental perception sensors, and control solutions. It also features displays allowing passengers to easily view travel information and climate control modules that stabilize passengers with cool air."

Industry experts expect an increasing number of carmakers to adopt such passenger comfort technology.

"Motion sickness occurs due to the discrepancy between what the eyes see and what the body feels about the direction of vehicle movement," Daelim University automotive professor Kim Pil-soo told UPI News Korea.

"Technological progress can reduce motion sickness of such passengers. In particular, electric vehicle manufacturers should take interest in such technologies as electric cars are known to cause more motion sickness than conventional combustion engine-powered automobiles," he said.