If Spotify is your music streaming app of choice but you hate having to fiddle with your phone to listen to it while driving, then today’s your lucky day as Spotify has unveiled Car Thing, a new independent smart audio player for automobiles.
You can control the Spotify Car Thing through various means, all of which are ideal for driving. First and foremost, the device works with voice control, with the “Hey, Spotify” command allowing you to request specific stations, artists, genres, podcasts, and more. If you’re more hands-on, you can also control the device with a dial — which is great news for anyone who has ever had the misfortune of trying to select a radio station on a touchscreen while driving (get off our lawn). There are even four buttons that you can preset to your favorite stations, adding another old-school radio touch to the futuristic device. The Spotify Car Thing does require your phone for its WiFi or mobile connection in order to work, and you’ll also need to pay for a Spotify Premium subscription — no free rides here. What is free though, at least for now, is the Car Thing itself. You can sign up for the waiting list to get the $80 device at no charge while supplies last, paying only for shipping.
