Between work commutes, drive your children to school, or rush hours, Americans spend many hours on the road. It’s no surprise, then, that there are more than 70 million Spotify users listening to driving-related playlists on this platform. No matter where you’re going, Spotify is the perfect companion in the car, thanks to the tons of ways to listen to Spotify and Spotify playlists, like Daily Drive and Songs to Sing in the Car. And today, we’re excited to announce the newest Spotify feature: a limited release of Car Thing, a new smart player that makes your car full of music, news, entertainment, talk, and more.
This feature is currently available to eligible US users. Car Thing allows you to play your favorite track faster, so you’re already listening to that hot song or the latest podcast episode even before you’ve pulled out on your road trip. You can switch between your favorite audio effortlessly, shift gears to something else as soon as the mood strikes. And when it comes to controlling the device, use it in the way that works effectively for you, whether that’s voice, touch, or physical controls. Take a look at a picture of this device.
Spotify’s target remains on becoming the world’s number one platform for audio—not on creating hardware. Spotify developed Car Thing because of a need from their users, many of whom were missing out on a seamless and personalized in-car listening experience. No matter what the model of your vehicle is, you should have a perfect listening experience. With Car Thing, Spotify expects to serve a wide range of users who use different types of cars.
Spotify doesn’t want to compete with in-car infotainment systems. Instead, it’s another step in their strategy that is to create a truly frictionless audio experience for Spotify users.
Car Thing makes a complete experience, from setup to navigation, simple and seamless. Follow these guidelines to use it:
- Use voice control for easy access. Spotify’s voice search allows you to quickly play specific music or podcasts and can also help you explore something new. You just need to say “Hey Spotify,” then ask for a song, album, artist, playlist, station, or podcast. With four microphones along the top, Car Thing can get what you’re asking to listen to, even with the music turned up or your windows down.
- Try the dial for a hands-on way to steer to the track you want. You can also browse deeper, curating the perfect soundtrack to the destinations you’re headed to. Use the dial to find, choose, play, pause, and discover.
- View the touch-screen display to see what’s playing. You can also use the screen to see your library, as well as results from voice search. Swipe to browse further or skip, or choose to play.
- Choose four preset buttons to get to your favorites directly, change them anytime you want. They’ll always bring you the newest podcast episodes and up-to-date news.
Car Thing from Spotify is currently a limited product launch, available for users in the U.S. on an invite-only basis. For a set time, Car Thing is available at no cost (excluding shipping) to choose Spotify listeners. Car Thing requires a paid Spotify Premium subscription plan and a smartphone with WiFi or mobile data connection. Eligible paying subscribers only. One Car Thing is available for an eligible subscriber, while supplies last.
Hit the gas and join the waitlist at carthing.spotify.com.