Apple Inc. wants to solve road trip boredom by combining two of today’s most-hyped technologies: virtual reality and self-driving cars.

The company filed a patent application for a VR system that would be integrated directly into an autonomous vehicle, providing passengers with “immersive VR experiences” that would give them an excuse to not talk to each other.

Apple originally filed for the patent in September, but it was not published publicly until Thursday. According to the company’s documents, the VR system could be used for interactive content and games, but it could also simply replace the exterior scenery with something more exciting. Apple mentions that its system could use a traditional VR headset, but it may also use a mixed-reality system that would project or display images on one or more of the vehicle’s windows instead.

“In either case, the 3D virtual views may include views of the passenger’s environment, including the environment outside the vehicle, augmented with virtual content (e.g., virtual objects, virtual tags, etc.), or alternatively may provide immersive VR environments that may include visual cues of the environment outside the vehicle,” Apple said in its patent application. The company’s system could even simulate physical effects using other components in the vehicle, such as simulating wind by using the vehicle’s air conditioner or simulating motion by moving or vibrating the seats. In other words, Apple wants to turn every self-driving car into a miniature version of Disney’s famous Star Tours ride.

The thought of watching VR content in a moving vehicle may already have some people feeling queasy, but Apple may have a solution for that. In fact, addressing motion sickness seems to be a top priority for Apple’s new system. The company’s patent mentions several methods for dealing with motion sickness, such as displaying moving visual cues that can be sped up or slowed down in time with the vehicle’s motion. The system could also watch passengers for signs of motion sickness and adjust their VR experience accordingly.

If you are wondering how exactly Apple’s system would detect motion sickness, that’s where things get a little weird. According to the company’s application, the VR system might include various sensors that could detect if a passenger “appears to be fidgety, is closing their eyes, or is swallowing or burping frequently.” In other words, the car would need cameras or similar sensors that would be watching passengers at all times.

Apple may never actually turn its patent into a product, but the company’s idea shows how self-driving cars could offer new sources of revenue outside the auto and ride-hailing industries. It could only be a matter of time before the roads are lined with virtual billboards projected straight your windshield.

Photo: Apple (U.S. Patent #: US20180089901)