Does the Spotify Car Thing still work?

Not with Spotify's original software, which was shut down on December 9, 2024. With community firmware like Mira or Nocturne, it works as a Spotify controller again.

What is Mira for Car Thing?

Mira is free, open-source firmware that turns the discontinued Car Thing into a standalone Spotify controller, connected to your phone over USB or Bluetooth tethering.

Mira or Nocturne: which is better?

Mira is free and open source; Nocturne is a paid, more polished option with a companion app. Both bring back Spotify control. Pick Mira to spend nothing, Nocturne for the most finished experience.

DeskThing is open-source software that turns the Car Thing into a desk companion. It shows apps running on your computer, such as music controls, weather and clocks, and needs that computer running.

How do I put a Car Thing in flashing mode?

Hold buttons 1 and 4 on top while plugging in the USB cable, then use the flasher in a Chromium-based browser like Chrome or Edge.

Can I use a Car Thing without Spotify Premium?

Mira and Nocturne are built around Spotify, which generally requires Premium for remote control. DeskThing can show other apps, like local audio controls and widgets.

Is flashing a Car Thing safe?

It's widely done and the device was already unsupported. Use a good USB cable, don't unplug it mid-flash, and follow each project's instructions.

Can I make my own Car Thing app?

Yes. DeskThing has an app system, and llizard is a platform for writing your own software. AI coding tools like Claude Code can help you build one.

Revive a Spotify Car Thing: Mira vs Nocturne vs DeskThing

Spotify shut down the Car Thing in December 2024, but community firmware brings it back. Mira is free, open-source firmware that makes it a standalone Spotify controller paired with your phone. Nocturne is a polished paid alternative with a companion app. DeskThing turns it into a desk companion driven by apps running on your computer.

What happened to the Car Thing

The Car Thing was Spotify's small dashboard controller with a round dial, buttons and a touchscreen. Spotify discontinued it and shut the devices down on December 9, 2024, leaving owners with a bricked gadget. Because the hardware is still good, a screen, a knob and buttons in a nice case, the community has built several replacements for its software.

The three main options

Mira: free and standalone
- Open-source firmware that turns the Car Thing into a Spotify controller again
- Connects to your phone over USB or Bluetooth tethering, so it works in the car without a computer
- Free; Spotify only
- Flashing takes about 5 to 10 minutes using a browser-based flasher (Terbium, which works best in Chromium-based browsers like Chrome or Edge). Windows needs a USB driver first.
- Known quirks: waking from sleep can be unreliable, and Bluetooth doesn't always reconnect on its own
- Mira on Afterware · Mira releases on GitHub

Nocturne: polished, with a companion app
- A full replacement interface for Spotify, set up through a companion app
- Paid: a one-time lifetime purchase, with an optional subscription tier for extras (check its site for current pricing)
- Best if you want the most finished, supported experience
- Nocturne install page

DeskThing: a desk companion, not a car gadget
- Open-source software that turns the Car Thing into a screen for apps that run on your computer: Spotify and local audio controls, weather, clocks, Discord and more, with remappable buttons
- Needs a computer running the DeskThing server, so it's best on a desk rather than in a car
- DeskThing on Afterware · DeskThing on GitHub

For developers: llizard is a lower-level platform for writing your own Car Thing software. It ships with default root credentials, so change them and keep it off untrusted networks.

Which should you pick?

For the car, free: Mira
For the car, most polished: Nocturne
For your desk: DeskThing
To build your own interface: llizard, or DeskThing's app system

How to flash Mira

Download the latest Mira release from its GitHub page.
Open the Terbium flasher in Chrome or Edge.
Put the Car Thing in flashing mode: hold buttons 1 and 4 (the preset buttons on top) while plugging in the USB cable.
Flash the image and wait about 5 to 10 minutes. Don't unplug it.
Pair it with your phone over USB or Bluetooth tethering and sign in to Spotify.

On Windows, install the USB driver Mira's instructions point to before step 3.

Vibe code your own

The Car Thing makes a great canvas for a custom interface: a dial, four buttons and a touchscreen. With DeskThing's app system or llizard, you can ask an AI coding tool like Claude Code to build things like:

A Home Assistant controller using the dial for lights and volume
A meeting timer or Pomodoro clock
A usage display for your AI coding sessions (see Claude Code desk companions)
A stream deck for shortcuts on your computer

Tell the AI which platform you're using and what each button and the dial should do.

What is vibe hardware?
Vibe coding hardware ideas
What to do with a dead Lululemon MIRROR, another discontinued device brought back

Car Thing builds on Afterware are listed below.