Owners of recent BMW models are expressing annoyance after discovering that a new advertisement for "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has been integrated into their car's infotainment system. The ad appears upon starting the vehicle, with a message stating that Spider-Man has "dropped into your BMW." While users can choose to ignore the advertisement, interacting with it triggers an ad for the movie, followed by a QR code that directs users to a BMW iX3 configuration page.
This marketing strategy has drawn criticism from BMW owners, with some likening the experience to Apple's past decision to automatically add a U2 album to users' iPhones. Comments on platforms like Reddit have described the integration as "dystopian" and raised concerns about the intrusiveness of advertising in premium vehicles. Users voiced frustration that advertising is being prioritized over user experience, with one commenter noting the lack of regulations allowing "every inch of every screen" to be used for marketing.
Concerns have also been raised about the precedent this sets, with some owners questioning how long such advertisements will remain optional. This incident follows previous backlash against BMW for its subscription-based heated seats service, which was eventually canceled due to customer dissatisfaction. The "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" tie-in also features a scene where a BMW driver utilizes sport mode to assist Spider-Man in a chase sequence.