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Google Unlocks YouTube in the Car, No Good News for Android Auto

Google seems more committed than ever to expanding its presence in the automotive space, but unlike rival Apple, which is believed to be working on a very ambitious Apple Car project, the search behemoth is just trying to focus on what it already does best.
Android Automotive in the Polestar 2 10 photos
Photo: Polestar
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In other words, the company is trying to focus on the services that are available in the car, including Google Maps, Android Auto, and Android Automotive.

And after announcing the redesigned Android Auto experience, Google also shared pretty big news on the Android Automotive as well.

The company has confirmed that YouTube will finally be unlocked in the car, essentially making it possible for users to watch videos without the need for any other tweaks.

While we’ve known for a while that this was bound to happen at one point, Google says the debut of YouTube in the car is going to take place soon. Of course, no specifics on the ETA were shared, and given the term “soon” has a different meaning in the Google world (just look at what originally happened with Android Auto Coolwalk), you’d better not hold your breath for the launch.

However, Google reminds users that options to watch shows and movies already exist in the car, including apps like Tubi and MGM+.

There’s something you need to know, though.

First and foremost, YouTube is only making its way to cars powered by Android Automotive. In other words, unless your vehicle is fitted with Google’s operating system, there’s not much you can do to enable YouTube in your car, other than turning to third-party hacks. Such solutions have been around for a while, including in the Android Auto world, but of course, they’re not something the Average Joe would be willing to try anyway.

Then, YouTube will obviously be available only when the vehicle is parked. Google specifically says that watching media is something you’re supposed to do while waiting to pick up an order or charging the EV, so it’s pretty clear that YouTube will be blocked when the car is in motion. This makes perfect sense from a distraction perspective, but what Google should do is at least allow the audio to play in the background and only lock the video.

And last but not least, Android Auto isn’t getting any love when it comes to this big announcement. As I’ve said on several occasions, Google should unlock YouTube on Android Auto as well, especially if the company uses the same approach as the one it plans to stick with on Android Automotive. The app should only be allowed when the vehicle is parked and then get locked when it starts moving.

This configuration is already used for typing on Android Auto, so at the end of the day, bringing YouTube to Android Auto is more of a matter of choice for Google. As I said, various ways to enable YouTube on Android Auto already exist, but Google should just unlock the app for everybody and no longer force users to turn to complex hacks for the whole thing.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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