Vivaldi Browser On Android Automotive Debuts With Polestar 2

Last Updated on December 23, 2021 by Anu Joy

Vivaldi announced its first-ever web browser built for the Android Automotive OS this Wednesday. It will be a full-fledged browser and will be available for Polestar 2 electric vehicle users. If you own a Polestar 2, you can access the web and have a similar experience as you would on any Android-powered smartphone.

You can enjoy the browser on the 11-inch infotainment display of the Polestar 2. You can access video content over the web while you are parked and enjoy audio content on the move. The Vivaldi browser also allows multi-tab browsing, video calling, web-based gaming and online shopping just like you would on your cell phone. The Vivaldi browser incorporates safety and convenience features such as a built-in ad blocker, translation tool, notes function, tracking protection, and encrypted sync feature. The data accumulated by the car can be shared across devices just by logging into your Vivaldi account. Vivaldi assures that this data is secure and will not be shared with Polestar.

Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner, CEO at Vivaldi, had this to say:

“We are really proud to introduce our browser to a car for the first time and specifically with a brand like Polestar. Our technological and sustainability ambitions are well aligned. We value transparency, privacy, and responsible innovation – including the fact that we have our servers in Iceland, one of Polestar’s newest markets. Like Polestar, we are a challenger brand, and we take a Scandinavian approach to design, that is based on trust and listening to our users”.

For those not in the know, the founder of Vivaldi, Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner, was also the brainchild behind the popular Opera browser. Vivaldi first developed browsers for Mac and PC, and later tried its hand at Android. Now, it ventures into the Android Automotive space, currently available on the Polestar 2 but is expected to be adopted by more car manufacturers.

The Vivaldi browser is available to download for all Polestar 2 customers in European, North American, and the Asia Pacific markets. You can simply visit the Google Play Store in Polestar 2 and install it. Vivaldi promises it will receive regular updates just like the Windows, macOS, Android and Linux versions.