Spotify is closing Car Thing and now owners have one last chance for a refund

Spotify has officially discontinued its Car Thing accessory, which provides simple and sophisticated control over music and playlists while driving, giving owners just over a month (January 14) to contact the company and receive a refund to obtain. The device began showing its final words earlier today as enthusiasts mourn the loss of the device on its dedicated subreddit.

The latest news about Car Thing is:

Car Thing has been discontinued and is no longer operational. Thank you for being on this journey with us. Have a good trip. For more information, visit carthing.com. Contact Customer Service no later than January 14, 2025 to discuss your refund options.

Spotify announced in May that it would shut down its already discontinued devices in December, and now that has happened. The company also ultimately said it would work to issue refunds, but owners would have to contact the company and provide proof of purchase to receive compensation.

For most users, the Spotify Car Thing is just another piece of e-waste that people will have to deal with later. The company recommends resetting the device to factory settings and “disposing of your device safely in accordance with local e-waste guidelines.”

However, hobbyists are finding new uses for the hardware: Car Thing can be hacked to run custom software that doesn’t require Spotify’s backend. As 9to5Google Note that it’s a bit underpowered to run fully on Android, but some projects like Desk Thing can repurpose it as a controller on your computer desk.