Spotify will kill Car Thing units later this year, tells owners to throw them away

Spotify announced that its discontinued product, Car Thing, will cease functioning by December 9, 2024. Initially launched in early 2022, the device was intended to provide a driving-friendly UI for Spotify users. Despite its initial promise, it struggled against competitors like Android Auto and CarPlay, leading to its discontinuation due to low demand and supply chain issues.

Owners of Car Thing are advised to reset the device to factory settings and dispose of it in accordance with local electronic waste guidelines after it stops working. While some users have attempted to repurpose the device by installing Android, Spotify's official stance is to discontinue its functionality altogether.

The Car Thing is a device developed by Spotify designed to enhance the music streaming experience in cars. It was introduced in early 2021 as a car display that allowed users to control Spotify through voice commands and physical buttons, without needing to interact with their smartphones. The device required a connection to a smartphone and a Spotify Premium subscription to function.

Spotify decided to discontinue the Car Thing due to several factors, including low product demand and challenges in the supply chain. Despite being well-received for its functionality and implementation, the device faced tough competition from more widely available systems like Android Auto and CarPlay, which are integrated into many modern vehicles and offer broader functionalities beyond just music streaming. Following its discontinuation in July 2022, Spotify announced that it would completely shut down the operation of any remaining Car Thing units by December 2024, rendering them non-operational.