There’s a reason why great travel is so ingrained in popular culture. It’s proof that cars have always been much more than basic transportation devices or pure driving machines.
Instead, they are a refuge away from home and work, a place to spend some peaceful time to yourself or hang out, listen to music and have some great conversations with a group of close friends or family. .
With constant technological advancements, most new cars today offer more entertainment options than a basic stereo equipped with an AM/FM radio tuner or CD player.
Instead, internet streaming services have taken center stage, allowing drivers and passengers to easily listen to (and watch) whatever they want, wherever they want.
In the high-end segment, many models are also equipped with high-end audio systems from brands such as Harman Kardon, Bowers & Wilkins, Meridian and Burmester. In turn, the combination of streaming services and high-fidelity audio systems gives automakers the ability to advertise their vehicles as home theater or hi- mobile fi in car.
Stream music, podcasts and internet radio services
Many new cars have infotainment systems with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and that means many of the music and audio apps available on your iPhone or Android smartphone can be played with. accessible via the car’s main infotainment screen, as long as your phone is connected.
For music lovers, popular apps available through the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces include Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music. Note that like most other CarPlay/Android Auto apps, both Apple and Google heavily constrain the design of the user interface to a few simple controls, to minimize driver distraction.
Practically, this means that these apps may look the same when displayed on your infotainment screen and won’t have the full range of advanced controls that are possible on a phone or tablet. your.
Podcasts are exploding in popularity, and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto cater to these audiences with apps like Overcast, Pocket Casts, and the Apple Podcasts app (Cartoon only).
For those looking to broaden their tastes, apps like iHeartRadio, TuneIn and Listnr allow users to listen to radio stations from around the country and the world. Book lovers also have access to Amazon’s Audible service, which specializes in longer-form audio books.
However, relying on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also means whether you can stream content or not depends on your phone’s reception. If you’re driving to a remote area, it’s a good idea to download music, audiobooks, or podcasts before you begin your journey.
Some automakers have tried to reduce their reliance on smartphone mirroring technology by building streaming to their own infotainment systems. Latest models from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Tesla.
For example, some cars with Android Automotive (i.e. Android as the native infotainment system) have the Spotify app pre-installed.
These integrations could offer a number of advantages, such as providing a more seamless user experience, since the driver’s phone doesn’t need to be connected to the car to stream Spotify, nor use car’s data plan to play music.
Native Spotify integration can also provide less buffering and better streaming in more remote areas, as more powerful car antennas are used.
However, the actual sound quality may vary depending on the specific vehicle model. For example, the Spotify app available on Tesla’s Model 3 is limited to a maximum bitrate of 96kbps, compared with the equivalent CarPlay/Android Auto app’s 320kbps.
Video streaming service
Video streaming services are much harder to find in vehicles due to the potential for driver distraction, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto don’t support video from apps like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, or services other streaming services.
Instead, it’s largely up to the automakers to decide which streaming services to incorporate and how best to do this safely within their native infotainment systems.
Tesla currently offers the best selection in the field, with all models in the range offering Netflix, YouTube and Twitch services that can be viewed on the infotainment screen while the vehicle is in the park. pellets. In certain markets, Tesla also offers the Disney+ app, but it remains unclear when Australian models will be offered the service.
Android is a versatile operating system available on smartphones and certain TVs, and offers a plethora of streaming services.
Through Android Automotive, Google has also recently made its own infotainment system for the latest models of automakers such as Volvo, Polestar and Renault, and respectively, the American software giant has made confirmed that it will bring the YouTube app to Android Automotive vehicles through a software update, starting with the Volvo C40 Recharge.
Out of all the premium automakers, though, perhaps BMW has made the biggest announcement to date about the introduction of an in-car video streaming service.
Revealed earlier this year at the CES technology show, the BMW Theater Screen uses a 31-inch ultra-wide screen (32: 9 aspect ratio) with 8K resolution and uses the Amazon Fire TV platform, which integrates services. services such as Amazon Prime Video and Twitch.
The display is expected to be available on upcoming BMW flagship models, including the next-generation BMW 7 Series.
