Google's next big Play Store makeover is coming to your car

Google today gives you two ways to improve your in-car infotainment experience. The Android Auto route requires you to connect your Android phone to your car’s infotainment system, either physically or wirelessly, to mirror apps, while cars with Android Automotive OS have Google’s operating system built directly into the vehicle. Some take Automotive’s convenience a step further by using Google Automotive Services (GAS) on top of Android Automotive. Those drivers can soon expect a major upgrade to their in-car app and app discovery experiences.

The tech giant announced today that a new app experience is coming to cars with Google built-in, and it should deliver new in-car media features, new apps, and a redesigned Google Play experience.

According to Google, there are already over 700 apps available in vehicles with Google built-in, and scouring through those apps to find just what you need is becoming easier. The Play Store will highlight featured apps, what’s new, and important app details right on the Google Play homepage.

Interestingly, the Play Store will also soon begin highlighting curated app collections tailored to whether your vehicle is parked or being driven. If and when you see an app that you like, you’ll be able to download it with a single tap, as seen in the image above.

Google built-in will also soon start dynamically adapting to the exact shape, orientation, and size of your vehicle’s display. This should prevent the software from offering a one-size-fits-all interface for cars with varying infotainment screen sizes, and make the whole thing feel a lot more polished.

Elsewhere, Google built-in vehicle users can also expect an updated in-car app catalog, with additions like STARZ, Firefox, Ludo King, and JioHotstar. Those fresh options will offer more ways to stream movies and shows, play games, or browse the web when their vehicle is parked. More importantly, Google is now allowing users to continue playback when they shift from park to drive, starting with YouTube.

This means that you’ll soon be able to start a YouTube video when you’re parked, and automatically switch to audio-only playback when you start driving. This is a solid safety-conscious addition for those who like listening to podcasts or interviews on YouTube, allowing them to continue where they left off when they were parked, all while being free from the distraction of a video playing on the infotainment screen. Previously, for reference, YouTube playback would outright stop when you started driving.

Google says the updated experience will begin rolling out to cars with Google built-in over the coming weeks. As a user, you won’t have to do anything to get the update. It will automatically appear on your vehicle’s infotainment screen once available.