Google’s nascent Android Automotive operating system is not available on many cars yet, and the app selection can feel limited at times, but today it’s adding a web browser to its arsenal. And, no, we don’t mean Chrome. As of today, the privacy-focused Vivaldi browser is available on Polestar 2 vehicles. It’s a first for Android Automotive and the company, which had yet to offer its software on vehicles before today.
Vivaldi says safety was one of its top priorities when porting the browser over to Android Automotive. To that end, it’s only possible to start a session when your car is parked. If you start streaming something and then resume driving, Vivaldi will limit the video to audio-only.
Naturally, privacy was also a priority for the team. The browser won’t store your browsing data on the car whenever you open a private tab. If you want to transfer your data between devices, you can do so by signing into your Vivaldi account. That information is something the company says Polestar won’t be able to access.
The Android Automotive version of Vivaldi is based on the company’s mobile release. You won’t find some functionality that is available in the desktop version – for instance, accordion tabs are missing – and Vivaldi has disabled a handful of other features. It’s not possible to download files and scan QR codes, for example. Otherwise, there aren’t many differences between the Android Automotive release and other versions of Vivaldi, and the company says updates will come at a regular cadence.
