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You can sideload Android Auto apps to add functionality.
There are apps for watching YouTube, browsing the web, and more.
You'll need to enable developer mode to install the apps.
Android Auto does a lot of things well, but it's a little limited. Scrolling through the Android Auto section of the Google Play Store, I find a decent, but not huge, catalog of apps. Google places hard limits on what it wants your car's screen to do, yet Android Auto is capable of so much more.
This is where sideloading comes in, or installing unofficial apps from sources outside of the official Play Store. These apps significantly expand what Android Auto can do (you can sideload apps to your phone, too), and the process isn't difficult.
Also: How I customized my Android Auto in 7 ways to make it more useful when I'm driving
My car is a 2018 model, so the infotainment screen isn't as huge as in more modern cars. But even on a smaller screen, apps can change how I use Android Auto, including watching videos, browsing the web, and more.
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