Google is preparing to add video applications, including YouTube, and internet browsers to Android Auto, the system that mirrors a phone onto a car's infotainment display. According to VIVA.co.id, the company restated the plan at the Android Dev Summit, where video and browser app categories were still listed as "coming soon" for the platform. No firm release date has been announced.
The report, published Saturday and citing Autoevolution, notes that Google first floated the idea of video apps on Android Auto in early 2026, with the aim of having them available before the end of that year. That target has not been confirmed as met.
Why it matters
Android Auto has long been built around navigation, messaging, calls and audio, with the screen treated as a driving aid rather than a media hub. Adding video and full web browsing would change what the display is for, and it would do so inside a space where driver distraction is a constant safety concern.
For Google, the move also widens the reach of its services. If YouTube runs natively on the head unit, drivers and passengers would no longer need workarounds or third-party apps to watch content in the car. The same logic applies to a browser: opening a website on the infotainment screen would mirror what people already do on a phone, without leaving the dashboard.
The plan also signals how Google is positioning Android Auto against rival in-car systems, many of which have moved toward richer entertainment features as screens grow larger and cars become more connected.
Parking-only rules and audio playback
Google is attaching conditions to the new features. According to VIVA.co.id, video apps will only work while the car is stationary. Once the vehicle starts moving, the video feed will be stopped or restricted.
That approach is consistent with how Android Auto already handles other tasks. Google has previously limited keyboard input while a car is in motion, allowing typing only when the vehicle is stopped and directing drivers to voice commands while driving. The video restriction follows the same principle: the screen is available for certain activities only when the driver is not occupied with the road.
The report adds that Google is preparing an audio-only option for when a car begins moving. Under that setup, sound from video content could continue even after the picture disappears. For YouTube, this background audio capability is likely tied to YouTube Premium, according to VIVA.co.id. Other video apps would need to support an audio-only mode if they want their sound to keep playing while the car is in motion.
That detail matters for how the feature would work in practice. A parked car can show video; a moving car cannot. Whether a given app keeps playing sound in that second scenario would depend on the app itself and, in YouTube's case, on whether the user pays for a subscription.
Browsers on the dashboard
Beyond video, Google intends to bring web browsers to Android Auto, letting users open websites on the infotainment display much as they would on a phone. VIVA.co.id reports that Google Chrome and Vivaldi are the two browsers most likely to join the ecosystem.
The same safety limits would apply. Browser use would be restricted while the vehicle is in motion, mirroring the parking-only condition placed on video apps. Google has not specified how the restriction would be enforced or what a browser interface would look like on a car screen.
The report does not say which automakers or head units would receive the features first, nor whether availability would vary by region or vehicle model.
What to watch
Google has confirmed the categories are in development but has not given a launch date, and the earlier target of late 2026 has passed without a confirmed rollout. The next signal to watch is whether Google moves video and browser support out of "coming soon" status at a future developer event or announces availability through its Android Auto release notes.
