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Google Chrome is the world's leading browser, with third-party statistics putting the application in the first place in both mobile and desktop rankings.
Chrome runs on Chromium, the engine that also powers other popular browsers, including Microsoft Edge, the second most-used browser on the desktop.
Google joined this year's CES with a big announcement regarding Chrome. The browser is now available behind the wheel, not only on your mobile phone (where it's been available for several years already) but on the infotainment screen.
Google Chrome is landing on Android Automotive, the fully-featured operating system spearheading Google's push in the automotive space, together with Android Auto. The browser allows the driver and the front passenger to navigate the web on the larger screen in the cabin, so they wouldn't have to turn to the mobile device for a quick search when the vehicle is parked.
This is the only requirement for Google Chrome in an Android Automotive-powered car. The vehicle must be sitting, as browsing is automatically locked when it starts moving. However, if you wait to pick up the kids from school or charge the battery, you can fire up the browser and browse the web with an interface I'm sure you're already familiar with.
Speaking of interface, Google Chrome lands on Android Automotive with a UI inspired by the tablet and the desktop. You get a tab bar at the top of the screen, which is great if you want to browse multiple websites at the same time, a start page that provides one-tap access to your favorites, and a search box to quickly look up something on the web.
Google Chrome for Android Automotive doesn't come with anything special, and it also looks like you'll be allowed to download files, like you can already do on other Android devices.
Google says the first cars getting Chrome on Android Automotive are select Volvo and Polestar models. They can already try out the browser as a beta starting this week, but the search giant promises to reach the broad availability phase and enable Chrome for all Android Automotive cars later this year. No further specifics have been shared, so this can mean anything from a month to December 2024, so you'd better not hold your breath for the public launch of Chrome (though further news could be shared at I/O in the spring).
Meanwhile, Chrome is not the only app that lands on Android Automotive. The search giant also announced that PBS Kids and Crunchyroll are available on its vehicle operating system starting today. The Weather Channel, which we all know was coming to cars with Google built-in, is finally live, allowing you to check the forecast when the vehicle is parked. You get the full feature lineup, including hourly forecasts, follow-me to see weather info for your current location, and a radar.
Google joined this year's CES with a big announcement regarding Chrome. The browser is now available behind the wheel, not only on your mobile phone (where it's been available for several years already) but on the infotainment screen.
Google Chrome is landing on Android Automotive, the fully-featured operating system spearheading Google's push in the automotive space, together with Android Auto. The browser allows the driver and the front passenger to navigate the web on the larger screen in the cabin, so they wouldn't have to turn to the mobile device for a quick search when the vehicle is parked.
This is the only requirement for Google Chrome in an Android Automotive-powered car. The vehicle must be sitting, as browsing is automatically locked when it starts moving. However, if you wait to pick up the kids from school or charge the battery, you can fire up the browser and browse the web with an interface I'm sure you're already familiar with.
Speaking of interface, Google Chrome lands on Android Automotive with a UI inspired by the tablet and the desktop. You get a tab bar at the top of the screen, which is great if you want to browse multiple websites at the same time, a start page that provides one-tap access to your favorites, and a search box to quickly look up something on the web.
Google Chrome for Android Automotive doesn't come with anything special, and it also looks like you'll be allowed to download files, like you can already do on other Android devices.
Google says the first cars getting Chrome on Android Automotive are select Volvo and Polestar models. They can already try out the browser as a beta starting this week, but the search giant promises to reach the broad availability phase and enable Chrome for all Android Automotive cars later this year. No further specifics have been shared, so this can mean anything from a month to December 2024, so you'd better not hold your breath for the public launch of Chrome (though further news could be shared at I/O in the spring).
Meanwhile, Chrome is not the only app that lands on Android Automotive. The search giant also announced that PBS Kids and Crunchyroll are available on its vehicle operating system starting today. The Weather Channel, which we all know was coming to cars with Google built-in, is finally live, allowing you to check the forecast when the vehicle is parked. You get the full feature lineup, including hourly forecasts, follow-me to see weather info for your current location, and a radar.
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