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YouTube Brings Basic Background Audio Controls to Android Auto

The feature relies on paid background play available with the lower-cost Premium Lite tier.

Overview

  • YouTube now surfaces in Android Auto’s media widget with play, pause, and a next‑video button, but it does not enable video playback or a full app view.
  • The rollout appears widely across devices, account types, and both beta and stable builds, with user reports aligning with hands-on tests.
  • Background audio in the car works only for YouTube Premium subscribers, including the $7.99 per month Premium Lite plan.
  • The skip control advances to the next video rather than scrubbing within the current one, and steering‑wheel buttons perform the same jump.
  • Google has not ruled out a fuller YouTube experience in Android Auto, with parked video apps previously signaled as a direction.