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In December 2023, BMW executive Stephan Durach said he didn't see the company selling screen space for ads because the cabin was “a private space.”
Of course, that was before BMW tried charging customers to activate heated seats already installed in their cars.
The automaker eventually abandoned that subscription after a predictable backlash.
This Spider-Man campaign isn't charging owners anything, but it follows the same broader trend of treating the car as a software platform that can generate revenue long after it leaves the dealership.
BMW confirmed the campaign to The Autopian, stating the “in-vehicle animation is part of a broader brand partnership with the film.
A few of our vehicles – including the BMW iX3 – were in the film, and a special edition iX3 was featured on the red carpet during last night's premiere in Los Angeles.”
BMW has every right to partner with a movie studio. Owners can even choose to watch the animation if they want.
But there's a difference between offering a holiday greeting and turning the dashboard into advertising inventory.
The Spider-Man promotion disappears on August 10. The more troubling idea may stick around.
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Buying a luxury car now includes agreeing to let the automaker rent out part of your ownership experience whenever an advertiser pays for it.
