Spotify shuts down Car Thing and offers owners a final chance to request a refund.

Spotify has announced the discontinuation of its Car Thing accessory, designed to facilitate music and playlist control while driving. Device owners have a limited time until January 14 to request a refund. The Car Thing has begun displaying a farewell message informing users of its discontinuation: "Car Thing has been discontinued and is no longer operational. Thank you for being on this journey with us. Safe travels. For more information, visit carthing.com."

In May, the company had communicated its intention to discontinue the device in December, which has now occurred. Following the announcement, Spotify confirmed that it would issue refunds to those who contact the company with proof of purchase.

For many users, the Car Thing will become new electronic waste that they will need to manage. Spotify suggests resetting the device to its factory settings and disposing of it safely, following local guidelines for electronic waste disposal. However, some enthusiasts are finding creative ways to repurpose the device, such as modifying it to run custom software that does not rely on Spotify's services. Although it lacks the necessary power to run Android fully, projects like "Desk Thing" have allowed users to turn it into a controller for their desks.