CES 2022: YouTube heads to Volvo cars with baked-in safety nets
It's only natural since Volvo relies on Google to power its infotainment systems.
Well, that's a nice bonus for when you're waiting in the car.
Volvo owners will soon have the ability to watch YouTube videos in their cars, but not without guardrails in place. On Wednesday Volvo announced YouTube will be available to download via a car's infotainment system and Google Play store. The company didn't provide a specific timeline for when YouTube will be available to download but promised it's the "beginning of enabling video streaming in cars." This is all part of Google's broader CES 2022 announcement that it plans to juice Android Automotive OS with functions such as YouTube integration and much more.
The feature comes with explicit guidelines for when drivers or passengers will be able to watch YouTube in the car. The answer is: at no point when the car is moving. Instead, videos will be available for playback when the car is stationary. Volvo framed it as a bonus for owners of its electric cars who can watch videos while using a public charging station, for example.
The app should be simple to use since Google powers the brand's infotainment. From the photo the company supplied, it looks straightforward enough on the vertical touchscreen.
In addition to YouTube, Volvo also announced a handful of other Google Play apps that will be installed in its cars. For navigation, Sygic and Flitsmeister will be available, and when it comes to EV charging, the ChargePoint and PlugShare apps will serve drivers. Parking apps are coming as well, and include SpotHero and ParkWhiz. On top of it all, Volvo also plans to integrate its cars with any Google Assistant-enabled device. In turn, Volvos will soon become extensions of numerous Google-powered smart devices.
