BMW Owners Slam Spider-Man Ads Appearing on Car Dashboards

BMW owners are upset after Spider-Man ads began appearing on their car dashboards, calling the in-car promotions intrusive.

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Aug 10, 2026 - 10:31
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BMW Owners Slam Spider-Man Ads Appearing on Car Dashboards

BMW owners have taken to social media to express frustration after the German automaker began displaying advertisements for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” directly on vehicle dashboards.

The promotions began appearing last week on newer BMW models as part of a partnership between BMW and Sony-Marvel. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the campaign is scheduled to run through August 10.

The move has sparked backlash among owners, particularly those who have paid premium prices for BMW vehicles. Some drivers have questioned why they are being shown third-party commercial content when starting their cars.

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Ad Backlash:

On Reddit's r/BMW community and other online forums, users described the move as intrusive and dystopian, with some comparing the experience to an episode of Black Mirror. Others questioned whether automakers should be allowed to display advertising on screens that are integral to controlling their vehicles.

The movie promotion reportedly appears as a banner when the vehicle starts, with drivers required to interact with the screen if they want to view the full video.

One BMW owner cited by The Hollywood Reporter argued that the latest campaign represents a gradual expansion of advertising inside vehicles. According to the owner, BMW had previously displayed celebratory content and advertisements for its own products before moving towards promotions from third-party brands.

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The owner also raised concerns about the growing role of dashboard screens in modern vehicles, arguing that because the display controls many of the car's functions, drivers may effectively have to engage with the advertisement before accessing their vehicle's interface.

BMW's press release described the movie video as a “special surprise” for drivers. However, the automaker's partnership with Sony-Marvel has triggered questions about the broader use of vehicle infotainment systems as advertising platforms.

The backlash highlights a growing tension between automakers' efforts to monetise connected-car screens and consumers' expectations of privacy and control over products they have purchased. For luxury vehicle owners in particular, the appearance of unsolicited third-party advertising has raised questions about where personalised in-car experiences end and commercial messaging begins.

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