In Vehicle Entertainment Gets Better Every Year

It wasn't that long ago that most automobile manufacturers' idea of in-car entertainment involved incorporating a radio system that could play CDs. In some higher-end models, the car even came with the auxiliary port where an MP3 player or an iPhone could be plugged into it in order to play digital music. Fast forward to today, and things have changed quite dramatically. The reality of the situation is that anyone trying to sell a new car that only includes the aforementioned features will probably end up getting laughed off the lot. Customers demand that more high-tech, in-depth entertainment features be included on all types of automobiles these days. Since the customer's desire drives the market, automobile manufacturers are practically twisting themselves into knots trying to get one up on each other in order to get the attention of the general public. That's precisely why you see everything from minivans and SUVs to compact sedans that incorporate virtually all types of entertainment features, not the least of which includes audio and video entertainment. In addition to the comprehensive information packages included on today's automobiles, the entertainment packages are second to none. It's even possible to get subscriptions to certain streaming services, both for audio and visual purposes. In short, there's virtually nothing that you can't access in a vehicle in much the same way that you would access various forms of entertainment in your own home.

Entertainment Packages In Depth

It's already been mentioned that you can get access to your favorite television shows and movies, along with your favorite music without ever leaving your car. That being said, it's always important to know exactly what you can and can't find access to with most of the entertainment packages that are available today. If you're looking to connect your smartphone or your old school MP3 player to the car's audio system and blast your favorite music, you'll have no problem. These types of systems are available in even the most economical versions of vehicles that are currently on the market. The question is, what else is available in current vehicles that wasn’t considered a mainstay just a few years ago? More specifically, what if you have kids that you're trying to keep entertained on a long road trip? If that's the case, it's vitally important that you know what you have access to in order to ensure that they stay entertained for the duration of the trip. If you're buying a new automobile, it's good news. You can play DVDs in most of these vehicles but it doesn't stop there. You can also get access to virtually all of your favorite streaming services, allowing you to watch everything from movies to specific television shows that are only available on certain services. In much the same way that you would subscribe to a streaming service and watch something on your smart TV at home, you can do exactly the same thing in your automobile. Better yet, multiple children can watch different things at the same time because most of these vehicles come with their own dedicated screens that don't require the same thing to be shown on all of them simultaneously. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

You may have some more questions about in vehicle entertainment. It’s a quickly evolving aspect of new cars, so it does change quickly. These are some commonly asked questions in regards to in vehicle entertainment:

Q: Is it really possible to stream Netflix in an automobile?

A: With today's modern vehicles and the types of entertainment systems that are available, it is indeed possible. Imagine what it would have been like if your parents had access to such things on long road trips.

Q: What about some of the more dedicated streaming services like Disney + or ABC All Access?

A: In most cases, if it's something that you can stream on a smart TV or computer at home, you can do the same thing in a modern-day automobile. If you have questions about a particular streaming service, it's important to ask the dealership before you purchase the vehicle in question, just in case there is something that isn't available for one reason or another. 

Q: How is this all even possible? 

A: Many vehicles have mobile hotspot technology, which essentially allows them to function as a moving roaming router, that connects to the internet. From there, streaming services and other entertainment are accessed. 

Q: What about entertainment for music fans?

A: There is still the old-fashioned auxiliary port that allows you to play all of your favorite songs directly from your smartphone. In addition, almost all vehicles these days come with satellite radio so you can tailor the channels you listen to according to your own personal taste. Android Auto and Apple Music are often built into the infotainment system as well, so phones integrate seamlessly.