I remember when Spotify announced Car Thing, its piece of hardware that could sync up to your car’s audio. It was a goofy little device, but a pretty cool one for those who still have a car that doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

It always felt like this small skunkworks kind of project within the company where a small group of people got enough funding to run with the thing, and bam — all of a sudden, big old Spotify had a piece of hardware it was now selling.

Well, that’s over now. In a blog post, the company announced that it is discontinuing Car Thing. It says that it is doing so “as part of our ongoing efforts to streamline our product offerings.”

Car Thing is our first hardware product that allows users to control Spotify through car speakers when connected to a phone by using both voice recognition and preset buttons.

We have made the decision to discontinue Car Thing. This means that Car Thing will no longer be operational. This decision wasn’t made lightly, and we want to assure you that our commitment to providing a superior listening experience remains unchanged.

We acknowledge and deeply appreciate the support and enthusiasm you have shown for Car Thing. It has been an incredible journey, and we are grateful for all the miles we’ve shared.

So, what happens to everyone who bought Car Thing? You are all completely out of luck. The company says: “After December 9th, 2024, Car Thing will be discontinued and will no longer be operational.” So, unless you can hack Car Thing and hook it up to Spotify on your own, your little audio device is going to turn into a paperweight come Christmas.

Spotify is really offering no options to continue using Car Thing. From its FAQ about the product being discontinued, here’s what the company suggests you do with your useless Car Thing: “Safely [dispose] of your device following local electronic waste guidelines.”