Article Summary BMW pushed Spider-Man movie promos to iDrive screens on cars in 70+ markets via an OTA update, and owners are furious. The backlash is sharper because BMW's own exec once said the dashboard would never be sold as ad space — "a private space." BMW insists it's not advertising, just a limited-time "Festive App" tie-in, but critics say a branded pop-up is a branded pop-up. In late July 2026, BMW owners around the world started their cars and were met with something unexpected: a promotional banner for Sony’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” on their iDrive infotainment screens. Why It Struck A NerveThe intensity of the reaction had less to do with Spider-Man than with where the ad showed up.