Traveling through the bustling streets of San Francisco in a Waymo, I marveled at the seamless autonomous navigation powered by an array of cameras, radar, and lidar sensors. Despite the marvels of modern technology at my fingertips for just $15, there was one minor annoyance that caught my attention.
The music selection in the Waymo left much to be desired.
Up until recently, Waymo passengers were limited to a few music stations, offering genres like lo-fi beats, smooth jazz, and K-pop. If passengers wanted to listen to something specific, they had to resort to using a separate app from Waymo’s parent company, Alphabet.
iPhone users had to download the Google Assistant app and connect it to Spotify to enjoy personalized music. However, even after going through this process, the service was not always reliable.
As I journeyed in a cutting-edge robotaxi, I pondered why Waymo had not incorporated a simple solution to stream music directly from my phone to the car’s speakers — a feature that has been standard in vehicles for decades.
Thus, it was a pleasant surprise when Waymo announced the integration of Spotify, allowing users to seamlessly link their music-streaming and ride-hailing experiences. Excited to test this feature, I connected my accounts and hailed a Waymo to see how it functioned.
While the Spotify integration may not be groundbreaking, it certainly enhances the user experience. The seamless functionality aligns with the expectations of playing music in a car in 2025. With the ability to listen to my own playlist or resume a podcast, the back seat of the robotaxi now feels like my personal sanctuary — a significant factor in my preference for Waymo rides.
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To set up the integration, simply open the Waymo app and navigate to the “Music” section, where you’ll find the option to connect to Spotify. By authorizing Spotify to link with Waymo, you can enjoy your favorite tunes during your ride, albeit with some sharing of listening data with the service provider.
Apple Music users may soon anticipate a similar integration to enjoy their music and podcasts in Waymo vehicles. Waymo’s spokesperson, Chris Bonelli, hinted at ongoing exploration of new personalization options but did not provide a timeline for potential Apple Music integration.
After linking my Waymo and Spotify accounts, I hailed a ride as usual and entered the vehicle. The Waymo’s touchscreen in the back seat featured a Spotify option, which I selected. Instantly, the podcast I had been listening to resumed from where I had left off on my headphones.
You can toggle the “autoplay” feature in Waymo’s Music settings, allowing the vehicle to automatically play your preferred music or podcast upon entry. While I found this convenient, I also realized it could lead to awkward situations if, for instance, you were listening to a intense podcast and then entered a Waymo with colleagues.
Furthermore, the Waymo’s touchscreen enables you to choose from a range of personalized playlists familiar to Spotify users, such as your “Daylist” or other curated mixes. However, this selection does not seem to include recently listened-to albums, audiobooks, or podcasts.
