There aren’t many joys greater in this world than cruising your classic car on a beautiful day with the windows down while enjoying your favorite tunes. Just closing my eyes and imagining this scenario brings a smile to my face.
The problem with many classic cars and trucks however is that they are often limited to FM and AM stations. Listening to radio stations isn’t the worst, but commercial breaks can be an interruption that can totally kill the vibe.
This is why Spotify is trying to help car owners bring their favorite playlists out on the road. It’s called “Car Thing” and it is a recent release from Spotify. They have developed a piece of automotive hardware that will allow users to listen their favorite songs, artists, playlists and podcasts right from within their vehicle.
The device can clip right on to a vehicle’s air vent and can be operated by voice commands to offer a hands-free experience. Here is also a touch screen that will allow you to swipe and navigate through Spotify. It also comes with 4 buttons you can preset for fast access to your favorites and a dial button on the front that you can use to browse, select, play, pause and discover.
The only drawback to this new device is how it will connect to your classic car’s stock radio. According to the details, your car needs to be able to play audio through the car speakers via Bluetooth, or AUX or USB cable.
Now most cars built before the 80s certainly do not have any of these options in a factory radio. Even may vehicles made during the 80s & 90s did not have an auxiliary input. If you do not have an aftermarket stereo in your classic, you may need to use an FM transmitter to get the job done. Problem with those is there is a chance for interference, or you may need to change the FM station frequency from time to time.
We totally understand the classic car owner that does not want to modify their classic car or truck to fit an aftermarket stereo. It’s an originality thing. There are however stereo upgrades for classics that look and fit just like the original stock radio that came from the factory. ClassicCarStereos.com for instance has hundreds of vintage stereos you can purchase that will give you blue-tooth connectivity in your vehicle without changing a thing.
Regardless of the way you want to connect Spotify’s Car Thing, it sure would be nice to have. Unfortunately, you may have to wait to get your hands on one. Car Thing from Spotify is currently a limited product launch, available in the U.S. on an invite-only basis. For a set time, Car Thing is available at no cost (excluding shipping) to select Spotify listeners. Car Thing requires a paid Spotify Premium subscription plan and a smartphone with Wi-Fi or mobile data connection.
Once the product launch is over, the Car Thing is expected to retail for $79. That is not too bad if you ask us.