Over the next few days, Plex will be rolling out a new feature to their mobile app on Android. They are now adding support for Android Auto, which is a popular app among Android users that allow their phone to interact with certain vehicles that support the feature, to easily access and control all of the music on their device as well as a handful of apps like Pandora and iHeart Radio. All of this is accomplished by displaying the information and allowing it all to be controlled from the vehicle’s display/screen. If the vehicle doesn’t support this feature, you can instead opt to control everything from your phone instead and then stream it to your radio via Bluetooth.
Of course, it doesn’t stop there. Android Auto’s function is to provide an easy-to-read and interact with screen that allows you access to only what you absolutely need while driving and turning all of your supported notifications like text messages, Facebook messenger, and so forth, into voice-controlled responses (and playbacks). You can immediately tab right into your maps to see current road conditions and use voice to map your destination.
Now, Plex will be added to the list of apps that support Android Auto, allowing you to tap into your music collection easily while driving and pull everything up by voice. You can ask Plex to open a specific playlist, pull up music by an artist, or request a specific song. Pretty much everything you’d expect it to support. All while keeping your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. It makes having a personal library at home all the more useful when it comes to collecting and organizing all that content. No more limitations, paid subscriptions, or commercials while driving as you find with Pandora and the rest. Now, you are in control of what you experience.
Sample voice commands (source: Plex Blog):
- Play my ‘If you cut me off I’m going to blast this horn‘ playlist on Plex
- Play ‘Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley‘ on Plex
- Play ‘Life is a Highway by Tom Cochran‘ on Plex
Of course, you won’t be able to access any of your videos or other content because that would defeat the purpose of using Android Auto. So any type of media other than music will be forfeited from access while in this mode. This shouldn’t be an issue since your eyes are on the road anyway, right?
Keep an eye on your Android devices in the next few days for the update to the app. Soon you will be able to take advantage of this neat feature and absorb your truly commercial-free experience.
