The technology could be embedded into the car itself, but the nature of the design makes it portable. Uber's recent patent application for a similar concept relied on sensory input that demanded non-wearable gear and was more about signalling intentions and offering distractions than mimicking the car itself.

The researchers aren't guaranteed to implement the technology, as it's just a patent, but they're planning to contact automakers and suppliers to turn this into a shipping product. And it could be necessary. The University noted that roughly half of adults get queasy just by reading a book as a passenger -- even more people could feel sick in driverless cars. If the technology is going to get mainstream adoption, especially in designs that have people facing backward, inventions like this might be vital.