Apparently, no place is safe from ads in 2026, not even the dashboard of your own car.<\/p>\n
BMW is currently using the control displays<\/a> in some of its vehicles to promote the new movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The German automaker calls it a \u201cspecial surprise<\/a>\u201d for drivers meant to celebrate its broader brand partnership with the film.<\/p>\n Since July 27, drivers of supported BMW vehicles have been greeted by a special banner on the control display when they start their cars. Selecting the banner launches what BMW describes as a full-screen \u201cfestive animation,\u201d complete with backing music and a light show from the vehicle\u2019s ambient lighting system.<\/p>\n The promotion is available in more than 70 countries for BMWs built after July 2020 that run one of several supported operating systems. It is scheduled to run through August 10.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t take long for upset drivers to go online and trash the ad.<\/p>\n \u201cOf all the brands I thought might bombard with in car ads on screen right when you start the engine,?I had BMW pretty dang low on my list,\u201d wrote<\/a> one user on X. \u201cThis seems the opposite of luxury and performance.\u201d<\/p>\n Another user wrote, \u201cReally cheapens BMW imo<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n While BMW is not the first automaker to experiment with in-car advertising<\/a>, the move is particularly polarizing for the company.<\/p>\n seems crazy.<\/p>\n The movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day paid BMW to take over the display of every BMW made after 2020.<\/p>\n When you start a BMW, it shows you an ad for Spider Man. Really cheapens BMW imo. https:\/\/t.co\/ylW3Jgearw<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/OWBBVTMMP3<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sheel Mohnot (@pitdesi) August 3, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n In 2023, BMW Group Senior Vice President for Connected Company Development Stephan Durach pushed back on the idea that the automaker would ever sell ads to display in its cars.<\/p>\n \u201cTo say I\u2019m selling the screen to play a commercial \u2013 I don\u2019t see it. It\u2019s a private space,\u201d Durach said at the time.<\/a><\/p>\n This is also not the first time BMW has faced backlash over an attempt to squeeze more money out of cars after they have already been sold. In 2023, the company pulled a controversial paid subscription to activate heated seats<\/a> already installed in their vehicles following a similar customer backlash.<\/p>\n This time, BMW is framing the dashboard promotion as a limited, one-off experience connected to a much larger marketing deal with Sony Pictures.<\/p>\n \u201cAs previous stories have noted, the in-vehicle animation is part of a much broader brand partnership which included product placement in the movie and a special edition vehicle on the red carpet of the Los Angeles premiere,\u201d a company spokesperson told Gizmodo in an emailed statement. \u201cThe animation is available for a limited time and only visible to drivers who proactively initiate it on their vehicle\u2019s touch screen.\u201d<\/p>\n It remains to be seen whether this is truly a one-off stunt or just the start of ads creeping onto even more screens.<\/p>\n