Although most cars now have Bluetooth, there remains a niche of car owners who can’t use the wireless technology. And Spotify is here to fill it.
The ‘Car Thing’ is Spotify’s in-car audio device that clips to an A/C vent and can play your favorite songs or podcasts effortlessly. Still in limited release, Spotify is testing the idea as part of its “larger ubiquity strategy.”
The product looks pretty easy to use, allowing you to either use the dial, physical buttons on top, voice controls, or the touch screen to scroll through Spotify’s library of music and podcasts.
Although the way the user interacts with it is clear, how it interacts with the car is a little less clear. One of the promotional pictures shows a cable running down from the device, though, suggesting that it could require an aux cable, which could limit the number of vehicles it works with.
If that’s the case, that would be a shame. The great benefit of a product like this one could be its non-intrusive nature. Classic cars with modern head units are a real pet peeve of mine, but I understand the impulse. If this were a solution to that that didn’t cost as much as, say, Porsche’s faux-classic infotainment system (albeit without phone features), that could be a useful product.
Although really old cars may not necessarily be blessed with an aux jack, the new class of “rad” classics may have one, making this useful at shows like Radwood.
It may also be useful to people who simply still own an older vehicle without Bluetooth connectivity, but it requires a Spotify Premium membership and a smartphone with WiFi or ample mobile data.
The Car Thing is currently only being given out (for free) to select users, but the company projects that it will cost $79 if it gets a wider release.
