Andy Walker / Android Authority
I want to give Google fair praise; Android Auto is a surprisingly versatile platform. It’s primarily tasked with mirroring phone functionality and information to the dashboards of supported cars. The intention is to make drivers’ lives a little easier, giving them quick access to contacts for calls and messages, music controls, and navigation information. However, for those of us who spend plenty of time waiting in the car, there’s one feature that’s seemingly missing from this list: video playback.
The concept is simple: my car has a screen, so surely I should be able to watch a video on it. While it is technically possible, it comes with strict and awkward limitations.
Do you want video playback support on Android Auto? 20 votes Yes, I'd like official support for video playback when parked. 70 % Yes, I'd like official support for video playback when parked and while driving for passengers. 20 % No, Android Auto needs attention elsewhere (elaborate in the comments). 5 % No, I wouldn't watch video on Android Auto. 5 %
Notably, I should mention that there is no official way to watch videos on Android Auto. Google does not provide this feature, nor does it allow it in any of its supported apps. However, the company has confirmed that it’s working on bringing support to the platform in the future. It’s unclear when or how Google will introduce it, though.
For now, your only option for watching YouTube videos or sampling videos from your phone is through third-party methods.
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Exploring CarStream and Fermata Auto So, how easy are these third-party methods to get up and running? To start, I tried my hand at two popular apps: CarStream and Fermata Auto.
To install both apps, I used a third-party installer called AAAD. It’s available via GitHub and makes it super simple to load unofficial apps onto your phone for Android Auto use. You will have to enable Unknown Sources in Android Auto’s developer mode, though.
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