A Spider-Man Ad Beamed Directly to Your Car
BMW has begun displaying unskippable advertisements for Marvel movies on the infotainment screens of its newer vehicle models. This move has sparked backlash from owners who view the in-car marketing as intrusive and inappropriate for a luxury vehicle.
Why it matters
It highlights the growing trend of automakers turning vehicles into 'smartphones on wheels' to generate recurring revenue through digital advertising and software services.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Sources: Josefkubes / Getty; Seavector / Getty. August 5, 2026, 4:06 PM ET Share Save What does a roughly $100,000 BMW 7 Series buy you? With a few taps on the sedan’s massive touch screen, you can play Pac-Man while it parks itself. Last week, BMW added a new feature to its infotainment system: When drivers start up their car, they are greeted by the following message: “Surprise! Spider-Man just dropped on your BMW!”
Click on the prompt, which appears in most BMWs made after 2020, and the touch screen is taken over by a commercial for Spider-Man: Brand New Day , the latest movie in the Marvel franchise. The video is accompanied by blinking lights inside the vehicle. Though drivers can choose to skip the ad, it persists as an app on their car’s display.
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