Spotify’s Android app could hit the road again
What do you want to know
- Spotify is testing a new car mode that brings voice commands for playback and search.
- Car mode activates when your Android phone connects to your radio’s Bluetooth signal in your car.
- Spotify its previous automotive mode called Car View in November 2021.
Today, driving a vehicle offers many opportunities for distraction. These distractions can take many forms, from other drivers or pedestrians to mobile devices and even daydreaming. But Spotify is reportedly working to make using its streaming service a little less distracting with a new car mode that’s currently being tested for some Android users.
Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services available, which is why it was surprising that it decided to remove the Car View feature from the platform’s smartphone app. When Spotify removed the feature, there was little information on when or if the streaming service would offer another option.
9to5Google and other Android users are being offered a new car mode when they connect their phones to their vehicle’s head unit via Bluetooth. Once connected, the Spotify app prompts the user to press the car button in the lower right corner of the screen. The new Car Mode features a streamlined playback screen and something the previous Car View option largely lacks – search.
The new Car Mode attempts to combine the traditional Spotify user interface with a less narrow and more driver-friendly view while driving. There are large touch points on the playback screen for rewinding or skipping tracks, play/pause, shuffle, like, and a microphone for voice control. There are also buttons at the bottom of the screen for returning to the home page, accessing the voice search option and a library view.
As it is currently in testing, the new Spotify Car Mode may not show up on your smartphone the next time you connect to your vehicle’s radio. Until the feature leaves the small test audience, if it does, another option for accessing your favorite tunes more securely while driving is with Spotify’s Car Thing.