Spotify's wireless Car Thing streaming accessory gets a step closer to launch

Spotify's Car Thing in-car music streamer gets a step closer to launch
(Image credit: FCC)

Spotify's in-car streaming device is being accredited by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) in the US, The Verge reports. The device – first announced back in 2019 – is a voice-activated personal assistant that you mount on your dashboard. It means you can control music streaming in your car just by speaking.

It's changed a little since it was first touted. The screen has got bigger and rectangular, making it look more like a smartphone than Spotify's initial render (see below).

Spotify's Car Thing in-car music streamer gets a step closer to launch

(Image credit: Spotify)

But it should work pretty much the same, with a Bluetooth connection to your phone and voice controls, so you can stay focused on the road.

So when will it launch? It's anyone's guess. An FCC accreditation just means the device is safe to use and approved for sale, but that's no guarantee the product will ever hit shop shelves. According to a statement, Spotify is "continuing tests of a voice-controlled music and podcast device to help us learn more about how people listen to audio in the car." Let's hope it's not long before we can test it for ourselves.

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