As a new car owner, I’ve found the perfect use for NotebookLM

I’ve recently been fortunate enough to purchase a new car. After not owning one for the best part of six years, I had some apprehensions, so I wanted to keep important documents close by if I ever needed them. To meet this goal, I needed a viable, reliable platform with the ability to recall information quickly. Enter NotebookLM.

Although it’s been pushed aside by hotter properties like DeepSeek in recent months, NotebookLM remains one of my favorite AI tools. Thanks to its powers, the smart notebook has become a digital reference book for my motor vehicle, but how?

It may be labeled NotebookLM, but the platform is more akin to a digital filing cabinet with a search function powered by Gemini. Unlike DeepSeek and ChatGPT, NotebookLM draws its information from the documents and notes I upload.

Now, when I need to reference the recommended tire pressures, what grade of oil is best, or which fuse corresponds to which feature on the dashboard, I’m just a natural language query away. As NotebookLM is sourcing directly from the manual, I have little worry about hallucinations. It’s not going to suggest I put toothpaste in my brake line. Access to a smart car manual, especially in the early months of car ownership, has saved me so much time.

NotebookLM doesn’t just let you upload content, though. The service also lives up to its name. I use the Studio tab to note specific details relating to my car, including a running log of any issues, noises, or events I feel are critical to performance and maintenance. If I notice a strange rattle, I’ll jot it down. If a peculiar, oily smell emanates from the tailpipe, I’ll note it, and then frantically call the dealer. As the car ages, having quick, searchable access to all this info will be invaluable, especially when service time comes around.

The notebook contains important information alongside the manual, including emergency numbers and basic insurance details. Don’t worry; I don’t keep anything too personal in this notebook. Google explicitly confirms that NotebookLM is not trained on any personal data to train the model unless you choose to provide feedback, but of course, you shouldn’t upload info that you feel is too sensitive.

Despite its many positives, NotebookLM is weighed down by one tiny omission: its lack of an Android app. You’d think one of Google’s most promising services would have one by now, but that’s not the case. I can’t carry a laptop everywhere to access my vehicle notebook. Instead, I use a workaround to access NotebookLM on my phone quickly.

How to turn NotebookLM into an Android app using Chrome:

1. Open Google Chrome, but ensure you’re logged in with your NotebookLM Google account.
2. Navigate to https://notebooklm.google/.
3. Tap the three-dot settings button on Chrome’s navigation bar, and select Add to Home screen.
4. NotebookLM will now be available as an app on your home screen.
5. I can then tap my car’s notebook and jump right into asking NotebookLM questions.

Of course, if you’re not a Google Chrome user, you’ll have to reroute. Hermit is a free app that I’ve used many, many times. It turns individual web pages into web shortcuts you can access like any normal app.

How to turn NotebookLM into an Android app using Hermit:

1. Download Hermit from the Play Store.
2. Open Hermit, tap + Create, then Create your own.
3. Navigate to https://notebooklm.google/
4. Log in and select your preferred notebook.
5. Once it loads, tap + Create Lite App.
6. Give the app a name and ensure the Add to Home Screen box is checked. Hit OK.
7. NotebookLM is now available as an app on your home screen.

Notably, Hermit does give you more control over the web app’s appearance, what content is loaded, and more, but the Chrome method is by far the more convenient solution.

As I hinted in the first section, NotebookLM sources information from your uploads, nothing more. This makes it a versatile tool that goes beyond a reference book.

I use NotebookLM in many other ways, but most often, I use it as a powerful comparison tool. During my car purchasing journey, it allowed me to quickly compare vehicles based on their official documents, from trim levels to service details. It’s also excellent as a health insurance comparison tool. Do you have a ton of quotes and marketing material you need to sift through? Unsure if one plan offers this and the other that? NotebookLM is brilliant for wading through this mire.

Have you turned NotebookLM into a smart, easy-to-use reference book? If so, to what purpose? I’m interested in hearing your use cases for this nifty AI tool.