BMW Promised It Would Never Do This. Then It Did.

In 2023, BMW Group Senior Vice President Stephan Durach was asked whether the company would ever sell ads on its dashboard displays.

He said: “To say I’m selling the screen to play a commercial — I don’t see it. It’s a private space.”

Three years later, BMW sold the screen.

Since July 27, drivers in more than 70 countries have started their cars to a banner promoting Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Tap it — and the “private space” fills with a full-screen animation, backed by music through the vehicle’s speakers and choreographed lighting through the ambient system. The animation ends with a QR code, in case you missed the message.

Affected: BMWs built after July 2020. Starting prices range from $61,500 for the iX3 SUV up to $160,000+ for higher trims. Some drivers reported the ad had to be played or dismissed before the infotainment system would function.

Amazon sold you a cheaper Kindle in exchange for ads. BMW sold you the same deal at luxury pricing.