Google is making time spent waiting behind the wheel a little more exciting.
Google is launching a redesigned Google Play for cars with Google built-in, complete with new entertainment apps and a YouTube feature that keeps audio playing even after the driver switches from parked to drive.
The Google Play update, rolling out over the coming weeks, redesigns the in-car Play Store and adds apps including Starz, Firefox, Ludo King and JioHotstar for parked time, according to a Google press release. It also introduces a YouTube feature that carries audio from parked viewing into driving.
The new Play layout has been designed to fit whatever type of screen a car has. It “dynamically adapts to the exact shape, orientation, and size” of the vehicle’s display, wrote Haris Ramic, product director for Android for Cars, in the press release. The redesign puts featured apps, new releases and key details on the Play homepage and lets drivers download apps with a single tap. Streamlined navigation and curated collections change depending on whether the car is moving or parked, helping users find and compare apps for audio, video, gaming and more.
Cars with Google built-in are available across 16 brands and more than 100 models, according to Google. Apps such as Google Maps and Gemini work on the dashboard without a connected phone, the company said. The in-car app library includes more than 700 apps through Google Play.
The new apps are aimed at filling time while a driver is parked, such as waiting in a school pickup line or plugging in to charge an electric vehicle. Google says their hope is to procide drivers with more ways to stream shows, play games, or browse the web while they wait.
The update also adds a YouTube feature that links parked time to driving. Drivers will be able to watch videos on the dashboard while parked, and audio will continue in the background the moment the car shifts into drive. However, the parked-to-drive feature requires a YouTube Premium subscription, according to the Google announcement.
Google also mentioned that it will continue to design the next generation of in-car media with automakers including Mazda, Honda, Polestar and Volvo, and with media app developers including Audible, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn, and Gaana. The company’s announcement did not provide any specific timelines for those efforts.
The updated Google Play will arrive automatically on a vehicle’s display over the coming weeks. Google’s press announcement points to General Motors vehicles with large center displays, including the new 2027 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, as examples of cars that will benefit the most from this newly launched update. The announcement did not specify which vehicles are set to be the first to receive the update.
The cars update is part of a broader Google Play announcement from Tuesday that builds on the company’s “more than a store” vision. Google also said Play’s store layouts now adapt across devices, including XR headsets and its Googlebook laptops, as well as cars.
More information is available on Google’s blog.