Pour One Out For Spotify's Car Thing Gadget, Then Explore Your Refund Options

Spotify has officially pulled the plug on Car Thing, a device the company launched in 2022 to enable the service in vehicles that lacked modern infotainment systems. The company says that it “made the decision to discontinue Car Thing. This means that Car Thing will no longer be operational.” Adding that it’s “part of our ongoing efforts to streamline our product offerings.”

Users of the device are now seeing a message that says it’s no longer operational, along with a reminder that it will be possible to request a refund through January 14, 2025. Anyone who relied on Car Thing to access Spotify will now need to use the Spotify app on their mobile device, while connecting to their vehicle’s sound system through Bluetooth or a cable connection.


Spotify is recommending that users reset their Car Thing device to factory settings and safely disposing it following local electronic waste guidelines. Unfortunately, the company isn’t providing any pathway to keep the device running, although there’s always hope that someone in the Car Thing community is able to hack the device to breathe new life into it. There also doesn’t appear to be any plans for a new iteration of Car Thing for those who were looking for an updated version of this product.

It's a shame that Spotify has decided to just unceremoniously drop Car Thing. While it’s understandable that the company no longer wanted to continue investing in the product, it could’ve done right by users by opening up the device to open source software solutions. It could’ve allowed customers to continue enjoying the device, while also keeping e-waste out of landfills, as it’s likely that most people will just dump Car Thing in the garbage.