Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

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Alexa9
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Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by Alexa9 »

Why can't your car dash play Netflix, Youtube, Amazon Video, Web Browser when parked yet? Like a cellular tablet that you add to your cell plan? Apple Carplay/Android Auto are almost there but not yet. I've had several times waiting in my car when I'd rather use my car's screen than my phone. Obviously this might be a problem and big distraction if people hacked it to run while driving. A lot of cars have beautiful touchscreens but they are fairly useless.
livesoft
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by livesoft »

My car doesn't have a screen, so it cannot do that. :) Maybe I need a Tesla?
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Alexa9
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by Alexa9 »

livesoft wrote: Wed Jan 10, 2018 11:19 am My car doesn't have a screen, so it cannot do that. :) Maybe I need a Tesla?
Haha, even Hondas have touch screen standard on most (all?) models now.

I think there is a law where you can only play video to the rear passengers while driving. I'm not sure about while parked.
inbox788
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by inbox788 »

It's probably a liability issue. If the manufacturer makes it easy or possible for you to watch videos on the screen from the driver seat, then they open the door to being sued. By not having any such functionality, they pass the responsibility completely to the driver/owner. There are companies out there providing solutions to tap into the car screens, but often expensive and require wiring.
Rupert
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by Rupert »

That is a horrible idea. Recently, I was driving my kids home from dinner out and we got behind a car at a red light that was literally broadcasting pornography to the world via a large screen attached to the dashboard. You don't want this to become standard in cars. It's important to remember with all such proposals that half of all people out there in the world have below average IQ (more accurately, 49% have an IQ below 100, but you know what I mean). Just because you would use the technology reasonably doesn't mean most people would.
Last edited by Rupert on Wed Jan 10, 2018 11:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
ianferrel
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by ianferrel »

There are engineering issues: Your tablet probably has to update the Netflix/Amazon app a dozen times a year.

So, you either need to be able to update your touchscreen software easily over the air, or Netflix/Amazon is going to have to support dozens (hundreds?) of old versions for a decade+. Which I'm sure they'll be happy to do if the car manufacturers pay them a ton.

Updating over the air has major security issues and compliance costs.

And there's not a lot of benefit for the car companies: The software running on those displays is clearly not a major market differentiating factor. No one buys a car because the infotainment system is better. You can tell because they all pretty much suck. Even if they were well-designed, cars get upgraded every decade, and phones every year or two. The very best top-of-the-line infotainment system on a car is going to be obsoleted by a budget Android phone that people will carry with them in less than half the car's lifetime. So why bother.
ianferrel
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by ianferrel »

Rupert wrote: Wed Jan 10, 2018 11:42 am That is a horrible idea. Recently, I was driving my kids home from dinner out and we got behind a car at a red light that was literally broadcasting pornography to the world via a large screen attached to his dashboard. You don't want this to become standard in cars.
The OP specified that this should only work while parked, anyway. And anyone intent on doing something like that can get a $40 tablet and tape it to their dashboard.
Rupert
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by Rupert »

ianferrel wrote: Wed Jan 10, 2018 11:46 am
Rupert wrote: Wed Jan 10, 2018 11:42 am That is a horrible idea. Recently, I was driving my kids home from dinner out and we got behind a car at a red light that was literally broadcasting pornography to the world via a large screen attached to his dashboard. You don't want this to become standard in cars.
The OP specified that this should only work while parked, anyway. And anyone intent on doing something like that can get a $40 tablet and tape it to their dashboard.
So why not just use the $40 tablet instead of integrating it into your dashboard?
rkhusky
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by rkhusky »

ianferrel wrote: Wed Jan 10, 2018 11:44 am Updating over the air has major security issues and compliance costs.
I turned off my car's wifi and bluetooth abilities as soon as I saw it was on by default.
mnsportsgeek
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by mnsportsgeek »

ianferrel wrote: Wed Jan 10, 2018 11:44 am There are engineering issues: Your tablet probably has to update the Netflix/Amazon app a dozen times a year.

So, you either need to be able to update your touchscreen software easily over the air, or Netflix/Amazon is going to have to support dozens (hundreds?) of old versions for a decade+. Which I'm sure they'll be happy to do if the car manufacturers pay them a ton.

Updating over the air has major security issues and compliance costs.

And there's not a lot of benefit for the car companies: The software running on those displays is clearly not a major market differentiating factor. No one buys a car because the infotainment system is better. You can tell because they all pretty much suck. Even if they were well-designed, cars get upgraded every decade, and phones every year or two. The very best top-of-the-line infotainment system on a car is going to be obsoleted by a budget Android phone that people will carry with them in less than half the car's lifetime. So why bother.
If car manufacturers would stop pushing their proprietary infotainment systems and just use Android Auto and Carplay, then the fragmentation issue is gone.

And I know many people that will not touch a car if it doesn't have Apple Carplay. Is it a driving factor for most? Probably not. But plenty of people care about the infotainment system and it is a sticking point in their car purchase.
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SmileyFace
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by SmileyFace »

I assume Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will eventually get there (I believe with Android Auto today you can listen to many different streaming music services including Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, and Audible,; I don't think they have streaming NetFlix/Youtube support yet but I could be wrong).
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Alexa9
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by Alexa9 »

ianferrel wrote: Wed Jan 10, 2018 11:44 am There are engineering issues: Your tablet probably has to update the Netflix/Amazon app a dozen times a year.

So, you either need to be able to update your touchscreen software easily over the air, or Netflix/Amazon is going to have to support dozens (hundreds?) of old versions for a decade+. Which I'm sure they'll be happy to do if the car manufacturers pay them a ton.

Updating over the air has major security issues and compliance costs.

And there's not a lot of benefit for the car companies: The software running on those displays is clearly not a major market differentiating factor. No one buys a car because the infotainment system is better. You can tell because they all pretty much suck. Even if they were well-designed, cars get upgraded every decade, and phones every year or two. The very best top-of-the-line infotainment system on a car is going to be obsoleted by a budget Android phone that people will carry with them in less than half the car's lifetime. So why bother.
This is a good point but even a 10 year old computer is more capable than a current car dash. I see no reason why they can't/shouldn't become more computerized or at least like a tablet. It would just give the car companies an excuse to charge more. The cellular providers would love it too. Add your car to your data plan. Many people lease cars and this might encourage people that buy and hold to have the latest and greatest tech in their car. Weather, news, maps, data on your car including tire pressure, recalls, maintenance, diagnostics, etc.
techrover
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by techrover »

AFAIK - its not a technology limitation, rather one imposed by DMVs that drivers should not be distracted while driving. This is the reason for ban on cell phone/active entertainment viewing while driving. Though cellphones/tablets have made this rule little easy to break, nonetheless its very pertinent and driven home when you are hit by someone who is distracted....
ianferrel
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by ianferrel »

mnsportsgeek wrote: Wed Jan 10, 2018 12:35 pmIf car manufacturers would stop pushing their proprietary infotainment systems and just use Android Auto and Carplay, then the fragmentation issue is gone.
That helps, but unless you think that Android Auto and Carplay aren't going to add any new features in the next decade, that doesn't solve the fragmentation issue. You'll still end up with a bunch of different capabilities.
techrover wrote:AFAIK - its not a technology limitation, rather one imposed by DMVs that drivers should not be distracted while driving. This is the reason for ban on cell phone/active entertainment viewing while driving.
Infotainment systems can already disable certain things while the vehicle is moving, so I don't think that's really the reason.
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warowits
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Re: Youtube/Netflix/Browser in Car Dash

Post by warowits »

Rupert wrote: Wed Jan 10, 2018 11:42 am half of all people out there in the world have below average IQ
I know math is on your side here, but sometimes it feels like more than half...
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