Bored in the parking lot? Android Auto just added games.
Like Tesla, Google is letting you play video games on your car's screen.
If you have Android Auto, you've been able to connect your non-iPhone to your car's display to listen to audiobooks, podcasts, and music while using Google Maps to navigate. Starting Thursday, you'll be able to use the Android Auto screen to play games — while parked.
Games from Google's GameSnacks website will be an entertainment option when you're not driving. It's similar to Tesla's collection of video games (called Tesla Arcade), which includes titles like Beach Buggy Racing 2. But unlike in a Tesla, where you can use the real steering wheel to control some games, you can only play through the car's touchscreen.
You May Also Like
GameSnacks include more than 100 "bite-sized" games such as solitaire, jigsaw puzzles, golf, and the original racing title "Retro Drift." The games are also available on desktop or mobile through the website.
The new games are part of an update to Android Auto that revamped the home screen. Recommended music, news, and podcasts will now appear based on your listening habits once your phone is connected to the car.
You'll need to be running Android 9 or newer for the new features. Android 12 will likely be released on Oct. 4.
Sasha is a news writer at Mashable's San Francisco office. She's an SF native who went to UC Davis and later received her master's from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. She's been reporting out of her hometown over the years at Bay City News (news wire), SFGate (the San Francisco Chronicle website), and even made it out of California to write for the Chicago Tribune. She's been described as a bookworm and a gym rat.
