Having a high-resolution screen in your car and not being able to put a YouTube video on for your children while taking a long trip seems almost like a technological crime. However, Google does not include the official YouTube app in the Android Auto app drawer for road safety reasons.
Many myths run on the internet about how to "hack" the system to get around this block. Today we analyze which methods are real, which are a scam, and the difference between using YouTube and using native television players.
Myth 1: "Installing CarStream fixes the problem forever"
False. Third-party applications like CarStream or Fermata Auto, which act as "wrappers" for the YouTube website, work... for a few weeks. Google constantly updates its services in the background to hide these unofficial applications from the car menu. You will be in a constant war installing patches so they reappear.
The definitive solution (paid): AI Boxes
If money is not an issue for you and you want official YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime on your car screen, the most stable solution is not an application, but a physical device known as an AI Box (or Android Box for car).
These small devices (costing between €100 and €250) connect to your car's USB port. Instead of projecting the basic Android Auto from your phone, the device has its own "brain" (processor, RAM, and SIM card slot) and projects a complete Android tablet on the car screen. Being an "open" Android system, you can download YouTube directly from the integrated Play Store.
The alternative solution (free): AutoIPTV
If you don't want to spend money on an AI Box, but need entertainment for your vehicle's passengers, the smartest approach is to change the source of the content.
Instead of fighting the blocks Google imposes on the YouTube app, you can install an M3U list player like AutoIPTV. Many IPTV providers include hundreds of 24/7 channels and a huge VOD (Movie on demand) library that offer hours of equivalent (or superior) entertainment to searching for random videos on YouTube.
Pay attention to the battery
Whether you use modified apps to watch YouTube or mirror your mobile screen, remember that data and battery consumption will be very high. Always use the media player when the car is connected by cable or using a high-speed wireless adapter, and keep the phone plugged into a powerful cigarette lighter charger.