Soort project:
Project
Thema:
AV human interaction

Motion Comfort Institute

Status project

Launched in August 2025

As automated vehicles transition from test tracks to public roads, the role of the driver is evolving into that of a passenger. This shift brings an age-old issue, motion sickness, into sharp focus. TNO’s newly launched Motion Comfort Institute aims to ensure that future mobility is not only autonomous but also comfortable.

Motion sickness in AVs

Motion sickness arises from a mismatch between sensory inputs—what your eyes see versus what your body feels. In traditional driving, drivers rarely experience this because they anticipate vehicle movements. However, in automated vehicles, passengers lose that anticipatory control, increasing the risk of nausea and discomfort.

Electric vehicles add complexity with their high torque and sharp accelerations. With 80% of current trips involving only the driver, the issue is currently limited, but as automation grows, motion comfort will become a critical factor in user adoption.

Introducing the Motion Comfort Institute

As an offspring initiative of the rich human factors expertise and facilities in Soesterberg, the Motion Comfort Institute consolidates decades of research in human performance, defence, and automotive innovation. Located in Soesterberg, the institute is home to over 100 experts, covering a wide range of human factors topics, and world-class research infrastructure.

Unique research facilities

  • Desdemona simulator: The world’s only six-degrees-of-freedom centrifuge-based motion simulator, capable of replicating any driving, flying, or sailing motion.
  • Linear acceleration track: A 40-meter facility to study horizontal acceleration, critical for automotive motion modeling.
  • Real-world testing: Military-grade test tracks and public road routes between Soesterberg and Amersfoort for validating lab findings.

Research focus

TNO has developed advanced models that go beyond traditional ISO standards, capturing the full six degrees of freedom in vehicle motion. These models help identify which specific movements trigger discomfort in passengers.

Detection must be passive and non-intrusive. TNO’s MISC scale (Motion Illness Symptoms Classification) is used in research, while commercial applications focus on visual and thermal biomarkers—like heart rate variability, skin temperature, and eye movement—measurable via in-vehicle cameras and sensors.

TNO is exploring a range of solutions:

  • Motion cueing: Visual or seat-based cues to prepare passengers for movement.
  • Active suspension systems: Minimising road-induced vibrations.
  • AI-Powered route optimisation: Choosing paths that reduce nausea-inducing motion.
  • Adaptive driving modes: Adjusting vehicle behavior in response to passenger discomfort.

Joint Industry Projects: collaborative innovation

TNO’s Joint Industry Projects (JIPs) offer a cost-effective, collaborative model for precompetitive research. Nine automotive companies have already participated in multi-year JIPs, sharing costs and accelerating innovation.

'This is a challenge every OEM faces. Sharing the financial burden and establishing a common research baseline benefits everyone,' says Magnus Moore, Business Developer at the Motion Comfort Institute.

Beyond automotive: cross-sector applications

The institute’s expertise extends to:

  • Defence: Enhancing soldier readiness in tanks and armored vehicles.
  • Virtual Reality: Reducing simulator-induced motion sickness in training and entertainment.
  • Tech platforms: Collaborations with companies like Google to improve navigation systems (e.g., Google Maps, Android Auto) for motion comfort.

Partner with TNO: Shape the future of comfortable mobility

Companies investing in motion comfort research today will gain a competitive edge as automated and immersive technologies become mainstream. TNO invites automotive OEMs, mobility startups, and tech companies to collaborate.

Whether you're designing the next autonomous vehicle or developing navigation software, the Motion Comfort Institute offers the expertise and infrastructure to help you succeed.

Explore partnership opportunities and learn how your organisation can contribute to, and benefit from, motion comfort innovation.