Drivers can dodge £200 fine and six penalty points after Google reveals major change for millions of cars across UK
GOOGLE is set to allow drivers to play videos through their car's smart dashboard - even when the vehicle is in motion.
But the tech giant is plotting a new measure that would stop the feature from becoming a serious distraction to drivers.
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Videos currently only work on Android Auto - Google's in-car entertainment system that allows people to connect their Android phones to their vehicles - when the vehicle is parked.
But that's about to change.
Google is planning on making streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and YouTube available on Android Auto, according to a report from T3, even when the car is in drive.
However, watching videos through your car's entertainment system while driving could land you six penalty points on your licence, or a £200 fine.
You can even lose your licence if you passed your driving test within the last two years.
Fortunately, Google is working on a feature that will make videos switch automatically between a video and an audio mode when the car moves.
That means that the clip is cut off the moment the vehicle is in motion - and drivers can instead tune into the audio.
This will work well for video podcasts and sports games - where visuals are beneficial but not necessarily required.
"We're also enabling audio while driving experiences for video apps on cars with Google built-in," Google explained in a new developer video, spotted by 9to5Google.
First look at Google's new Android XR glasses with life-changing augmented reality
"You can now implement seamless transitions from parked video playback to audio-only listening while driving.
"Suppose you're streaming a live sports event while getting curbside pickup.
"Now, you can continue listening to the audio when you start to drive again."
As Google noted, sports fans will be able to stay up to date with the latest match updates, without taking their eyes off the road.
The new feature - alongside the incoming video video apps - are not yet available in Android Auto and are still in the works behind the scenes.
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