Post Content Android Auto now surfaces YouTube in media controls, but keeps video playback disabled to minimise distractions. (Image Source: Freepik)
For years, Android Auto users have been relying on third party workarounds like CarStream and Fermata Auto, which enable them to watch YouTube videos and control playback, but now, Google is reportedly bringing YouTube to your car’s screen.
However, the feature comes with several limitations, as playing videos while driving can be distracting and dangerous. According to a new report by 9to5Google, Android Auto users will now be able to play, pause and skip YouTube videos, but the support comes with severe limitations.
Like YouTube Music and Spotify, YouTube will function only as an audio stream. You won’t be able to forward or rewind videos, and they won’t be displayed on Android Auto. While YouTube now shows up in Android Auto’s media controls, there is no video playback, no browsing, and it also lacks a full-screen player for safety reasons.
To sum up, this isn’t exactly a dedicated YouTube app for Android Auto, but more like basic media playback controls that allow users to play and pause on the go. This may sound useless, but with YouTube media now appearing on Android Auto, it can be pretty helpful for those who often find themselves listening to podcasts and watching long-form YouTube content.
Another catch is that users who want to control YouTube playback via Android Auto will need to be a YouTube Premium subscriber, since it works via background playback.
To give you a quick recap, the recently updated YouTube Premium Lite subscription is available in India at Rs 89 per month, enabling background playback and offline video downloads. Last year, Google announced at its I/O that it is planning to add video app support for Android Auto while parked, and it looks like the feature is still under development.
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