Thanks to Android Auto, you can finally play videos on your car's infotainment system. Even Škodas can do it.

Years of leaks, vague promises, and workarounds using third-party apps like CarStream or Fermata Auto are coming to an end. In Tuesday’s Android Show I/O Edition broadcast, Google officially confirmed that full support for watching videos via services like YouTube is coming to Android Auto. For the Czech market, it’s significant that vehicles from Škoda are also on the list of the first compatible cars.

Videos in decent quality, but only in parked cars

Google promises video playback in Full HD resolution at 60 frames per second. The feature applies to apps like YouTube and can be used by both drivers and passengers when the car is stationary, typically in a parking lot or at an EV fast-charging station.

For safety reasons, a clear rule remains: no watching while driving. Concerns about driver distraction have for years stood in the way of such a feature appearing in Android Auto at all. Google announced the arrival of video applications in Android Auto, along with web browsers, last May, but since then, there has been no sign of them for a long time. Further indications that Google might soon reveal more were uncovered by a February leak.

Seamless transition from video to audio after starting to drive

A pleasant detail is the seamless behavior during the transition from parking to driving. Instead of forcefully stopping playback, supported applications will switch to a mode where you will continue to hear audio. If you leave a parking lot in the middle of a YouTube video podcast, the image will disappear, but the speakers will continue to talk.

Škoda is among the supported car manufacturers

Google initially names eleven brands whose selected models will receive video support later this year: BMW, Ford, Genesis, Hyundai, Kia, Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Škoda, Tata, and Volvo. For the domestic market, it’s good news that Škoda is on the list. Google did not specify which particular models will receive support first.

In addition to video, Google also announced Dolby Atmos spatial audio support. This will arrive in cars from BMW, Genesis, Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Škoda, Tata, and Volvo, with popular streaming services also being involved. Music applications, including YouTube Music and Spotify, are also set to receive visual updates, which should make them easier to control in the car.

Google has not released a specific launch date, limiting itself to the vague “later this year.” Given that the introductory Android Show broadcast annually kicks off a week full of announcements (followed by the main Google I/O keynote on May 19), it’s possible that Google will provide more precise details in the coming days.

What would you watch first in Android Auto when video support arrives?

Source: PR/Google