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Hack Lets You Run YouTube and Waze Side by Side in the Car, Still a Huge No-No

There’s a good reason why YouTube is not allowed in Android Auto and Apple CarPlay: video services can be a fatal distraction for too many drivers, and blocking the app from being used when getting behind the wheel is pretty much the only way to go.
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Photo: Honda
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Of course, there are ways to bypass this restriction, including hacks that have previously enabled YouTube in Android Auto (now blocked by Google) and Android head units where YouTube is running natively just like on a smartphone.

But a Honda owner has found a way to do the whole thing without the need for third-party software and a full Android unit. It all comes down to a simple HDMI hack that enables screen mirroring for an Android phone, which can then be used in split screen mode to run two apps at the same time on the car’s display.

The demo that you see below shows the whole thing on a 2016 Honda HR-V EX paired with a Sony Xperia Xa2 Ultra. YouTube is running side by side with Waze, and at first glance, the experience overall seems to be pretty smooth for both apps.

But again, running YouTube on the car’s screen is extremely dangerous and such a hack shouldn’t by any means be used for watching videos while driving. If you really want to use YouTube behind the wheel, just do it when the car is parked or, at least, launch the YouTube app to listen to your favorite music, albeit it goes without saying that it takes just a second to lose focus and look at the screen without even realizing you’re doing it.

If there’s anything useful in this hack is that it allows Honda owners to run two apps side by side in their cars, which obviously comes in very handy especially if these apps don’t put your or anyone’s life at risk. For example, you can very well run Spotify and Google Maps side by side if you want, as long as they don’t represent any distraction for the driver.

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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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