Spotify Reportedly Testing “Driving Mode” Feature

Spotify is reportedly testing a new system that would allow users to more easily control the service when behind the wheel.

The new feature, dubbed Driving Mode, was first spotted on Reddit, where a user said the service appeared after updating the Android version of Spotify.

Several Spotify users also confirmed on the post that they too had been given access to the feature, which includes larger buttons, song announcements, and voice controls.

“It’s still a bit buggy, but it’s pretty neat,” now poster wrote.

According to the users’ experience, the feature can apparently be activated by touching a car emblem on the Spotify interface.

Once Driving Mode is enabled, the system appears to enlarge the playing buttons and adds a microphone.

While the microphone would likely allow users to ask for certain songs and perform other voice-controlled functions, users who have received access to the feature say that portion is currently disabled.

Additionally, the feature comes equipped with a voice that calls out or announces songs. This, some users say, is annoying.

The feature, The Verge points out, may not have even been meant for actual users, as one Spotify client notes that the end of the tutorial for the service includes a feedback form that requires an “@spotify.com” email address.

Testing new services with employees isn’t an uncommon occurrence for many tech companies. In Aug. 2015, employees at Apple were said to be serving as guinea pigs for iCloud voicemail, which uses Siri to answer, transcribe, and send users a text of voice messages.

Consumerist has reached out to Spotify for additional details on Driving Mode, including if it will expand to more users. We’ll update this post when we hear back.