Rivian Raises the Bar: Google Cast and YouTube Now on Board

Rivian is about to change the in-car entertainment experience. In an upcoming software update, Rivian vehicles will support Google Cast and YouTube, allowing for seamless, high-quality content streaming.

This integration marks a significant advancement for Rivian’s software capabilities, especially when compared to Tesla, which has yet to integrate native apps or release its long-rumored native app store.

Google Cast, Google’s equivalent to Apple AirPlay, is supported by a variety of audio and video streaming apps such as Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and more. With this feature, users can cast content directly to Rivian’s main 15.6” center screen, just like casting to a TV or smart device at home. The vehicle’s touchscreen can be used to play, pause, or skip back and forth. Importantly, Google Casting automatically pauses when the vehicle shifts into Drive.

In addition to Google Cast, Rivian is also integrating a native YouTube app into its vehicles. This will enable users to access YouTube’s vast video and music library from anywhere with a data connection. These features will be integrated directly into Rivian’s vehicle operating system, ensuring they receive regular software updates and are not reliant on browser-based capabilities. Similar to casting content, YouTube content will also automatically pause when the vehicle is shifted into Drive.

Currently, there is no way to AirPlay or Cast video from a phone or tablet to Tesla’s front or rear screens. However, for some apps such as YouTube, users can send the video URL to the vehicle and have it open the YouTube app to that video. This process is far more limited than including AirPlay or Google Cast support, which works for practically any video, even personal videos in your photo library. Back in 2016, Elon Musk mentioned that Tesla would add mirroring of phone apps to the center screen, but this has yet to materialize. More recently, Musk mentioned a native X App coming to Tesla vehicles.

Tesla Theater allows users to stream videos from various platforms, including YouTube, but these are web-based applications, with no native applications available. This leaves some marked limitations on usability. Tesla most recently announced in their 2024.14 update that the browser will be able to be expanded to full-screen mode when parked, enabling more access to streaming services on the web. Meanwhile, Google Cast and Apple Airplay continue to remain highly requested features.

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Source: Not a Tesla App

Photo Credit: Top Gear