runchyroll Starts In-Car Anime Streaming with Appning by FORVIA
Crunchyroll Expands Into Connected Cars With FORVIA Deal
The anime platform’s partnership with Appning by FORVIA brings streaming to select connected vehicles, broadening its distribution strategy.
Highlights
- Crunchyroll is partnering with FORVIA’s Appning to bring anime streaming to select connected vehicles.
- The in-car anime service will offer more than 50K episodes across roughly 25K hours of content.
- Video playback will be restricted on moving vehicles for safety.
Crunchyroll is extending its streaming platform beyond traditional screens with a new partnership with Appning by FORVIA, enabling subscribers to stream anime in select connected vehicles. Announced on Aug 12, the deal integrates Crunchyroll into over 40 automotive brands, starting with BMW and MINI.
The rollout will first expand across the wider BMW Group, then expand into additional brands, including Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Lotus, and SAIC. The service will reach drivers in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, India, and Australia, giving Crunchyroll access to markets where BMW Group vehicles already ship with Appning’s app store built into the infotainment system.
Inside BMW vehicles specifically, Appning runs the underlying app marketplace while TiVo handles content recommendations for Crunchyroll subscribers.
Crunchyroll Brings More Than 50K Anime Episodes in Cars With FORVIA Deal
With the Appning deal, Crunchyroll brings more than 50K anime episodes, totaling roughly 25K hours of content, to a new viewing surface beyond phones, tablets and TVs. Brian McGarvey, Crunchyroll’s senior vice president of global distribution and business development, said the company wants entertainment available wherever fans are, “including in their vehicle.”
“Through this collaboration with Appning, we're glad to provide another way for this passionate, global fan community to enjoy their favorite anime,” he further stated. FORVIA has confirmed that Crunchyroll will follow the same safety restrictions applied to other video apps already on Appning, such as YouTube.
Video playback is disabled while the vehicle is moving and becomes accessible only once the car is parked. In a moving vehicle’s front seat, the technical guidelines would bar displaying distracting content, including video and pop-ups.
The move reflects Crunchyroll’s broader strategy of increasing accessibility across connected devices. The Sony-owned anime streamer already supports smart TVs, gaming consoles, mobile devices, and set-top boxes.
Similar in-car entertainment initiatives have been observed in the case of gaming as well. In December 2025, Sony Honda announced that the AFEELA electric vehicle (EV) will become the world’s first car to feature native integration with PlayStation Remote Play.
Author
Kamalikaa Biswas is a content writer at Outlook Respawn specializing in pop culture. She holds a Master's in English Literature from University of Delhi and leverages her media industry experience to deliver insightful content on the latest youth culture trends.
