Open Source · Google · GitHub · Android · YouTube · Engadget
Sideloading lets you install apps that Google never approved for Android Auto
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By design, Google restricts what can run on your dashboard to cut down on driver distraction, which means no YouTube videos, no browser and no screen mirroring.
Key facts
- Go to Settings > Connected Devices > Android Auto, scroll to the bottom of the page and tap Version and permission info about 10 times in quick succession
- Google reports that internet-sideloaded sources carry more than 50 times more malware than apps on Google Play
- Now you have to turn on Developer Mode for Android Auto
- Android Auto was built to make your driving sessions simple and easy, but not everyone wants simple
Summary
You can unlock video streaming on your dashboard, but should you? Android Auto was built to make your driving sessions simple and easy, but not everyone wants simple. Sideloading lets you install apps that Google never approved for Android Auto, opening the door to features the platform doesn't officially support right now. The whole process of sideloading apps on Android Auto is not that complicated, but you do need to go through a few steps to set things up. First, you'll need to enable Developer Mode on your phone. You can do this by going to Settings > About and rapidly tapping Build number seven times.