Imagine relaxing in your car and catching up on the latest episodes of your favorite anime right on your vehicle’s dashboard rather than a smartphone screen. Thanks to a new partnership between Crunchyroll and the automotive app marketplace Appning, that scenario is becoming a reality. The collaboration will bring the massive anime streaming library to select vehicles—starting with BMW and Mini—with plans to roll out to more than 40 different car brands globally.
Appning, developed by Forvia, serves as an in-dash platform where drivers and passengers can utilize built-in applications like YouTube, Zoom, and Spotify. By integrating Crunchyroll, the platform opens up access to anime fans across North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Australia. While Appning acts as the main vehicle for the software, TiVo technology powers the content discovery, providing tailored recommendations to subscribers enjoying a watch session from their seats.
Read more: Crunchyroll and Starz Bundle Up on Prime Video
To ensure safety, the feature is strictly designed for stationary viewing. Fans will have access to over 50,000 episodes and movies, totaling roughly 25,000 hours of content, but video playback is strictly limited to when the car is parked. Rest assured, streaming while driving is blocked automatically.
“Today’s consumers expect their entertainment to be available wherever they are, including in their vehicle,” noted Brian McGarvey, Crunchyroll’s senior vice president of global distribution and business development. He added that the partnership with Appning provides yet another accessible way for the passionate global fan community to enjoy their preferred shows during their travels.
Accessing hits like Demon Slayer, Solo Leveling, or Gachiakuta requires an active paid Crunchyroll subscription, with U.S. tiers starting at $10 a month. Appning itself is an Android-based operating system housing upwards of 300 apps, and it can already be found in select models from manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Lotus, and Volkswagen in Latin America.
