Spotify and Waze join for smartphone app integration

Spotify has another tech integration intended for in-car listening. The streaming music service is collaborating with navigation app Waze, and elements of each service will be added to the other. This tie-up means that you can start a Waze trip while in Spotify, and when Waze is open, you’ll be able to access simple music controls. More attention-demanding tasks, like browsing playlists, can’t be done while the car is moving, a critical nod to safety. The updates will be made to both the iOS and Android versions of the apps.

Creating an interface designed for use while driving is a difficult task. Safety and ease of use are paramount, whether it’s a smartphone program or a built-in infotainment system, as both streaming and owned digital files are growing in popularity among drivers. In the recent Infinite Dial results, 45% of respondents said they listen to their digital music library while driving and 26% said they listened to online radio. A study last year by Music Biz Consumer Insights and LOOP also pointed to that shift, noting that millennial drivers are even more likely to hook up their phones to the dashboard.