Tesla Service UK / Guides / Motion Sickness
Motion sickness & regenerative braking
Why regen braking specifically affects some passengers, and practical adjustments that genuinely help.
Last fact-checked: . General guidance — always check your own model's specifics and current official sources before relying on it for a decision.
Why it happens
Why does regen braking specifically trigger motion sickness for some people?
Regenerative braking creates noticeably stronger deceleration when lifting off the accelerator than a petrol car coasting normally does, and this pattern of frequent, distinct deceleration-acceleration cycles — especially in stop-start traffic — can be more likely to trigger motion sickness in susceptible passengers than smoother, more gradual speed changes, similar to why some people feel unwell with an unfamiliar or inexperienced driver's abrupt pedal inputs in any car.
Settings that help
Settings adjustments worth trying
Where available on your specific model, reducing the regenerative braking strength to a lower or 'standard' setting rather than the strongest 'one-pedal driving' mode produces a smoother, more gradual deceleration feel closer to a conventional car, which some sensitive passengers find noticeably more comfortable.
Driving adjustments
Driving style adjustments that also help
Beyond the settings themselves:
- Anticipate the need to slow down earlier and lift off the accelerator more gradually rather than abruptly, which smooths out the regen effect regardless of setting.
- Seat susceptible passengers in the front where visual reference to the road ahead is easier, a standard motion-sickness mitigation that applies in any vehicle.
- Standard motion sickness advice still applies generally — looking at the horizon rather than a phone screen, fresh air, and avoiding a full stomach immediately before a winding or stop-start journey.