Meetings on the Go: Zoom, Teams, and Webex arrive on Android auto
Google announced that Android Auto will soon have support for Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Cisco Webex applications to let the driver join meetings in their cars. The company said there won't be any visual or other distractions, and it will only support sound with basic controls.
Google revealed several new products and features at I/O 2023 event, and the new video conferencing tools arrival is only one of them. If you own a Google built-in car, you will be able to join Zoom, Teams, or Webex meetings in your car, whether you are parked or moving.
Most cars don't have cabin cameras, which is not the most popular feature today. However, this is expected to change in the coming years as big manufacturers like Mercedes and Tesla have already added this feature to some of their cars. Google hasn't disclosed if the audio-only feature will be revamped in the coming years.
Tesla has already implemented Zoom into its cars, offering a video call feature too. It looks like Google has started with a safety-focused mindset, as drivers can get easily distracted on the road.
"That complexity of handling driver distraction, it's a really high burden, and actually, you know, a lot of developers don't know how to navigate the nuances of that," said Google's director of product management, Roshan Khan, in an interview with The Verge.
Watch YouTube videos in your car
Google recently revealed its new feature to let people watch YouTube videos in their Android-supported cars. The company revealed that the feature will be available for users in the coming weeks, and the first ones to get this feature are Volvo and Polestar users; other brands will follow. The feature, of course, won't let you watch videos while driving the car, but you will only be able to watch them when your car is parked.
Only the vehicles with Google built-in will have access to this function. Android applications may be accessed from the screen in cars with built-in Google, and OTA software updates can also be downloaded.
Advertisement