Overview
- In late July BMW pushed an over‑the‑air update that added a Spider‑Man animation to the Festive App and startup banners on cars built after July 2020 running iDrive OS versions 7 through X across about 70 markets.
- BMW told reporters the content is not advertising, that drivers must proactively initiate the animation, and that it is viewable only when the vehicle is stationary and available for a limited run through August 10.
- Thousands of owners reacted strongly on Reddit and other social platforms, calling the unsolicited startup animation intrusive and citing it as a violation of the cabin as a private space.
- Critics say the episode highlights how over‑the‑air updates let automakers install new media or software after sale, raising questions about consent, in‑car marketing and controls for software‑defined vehicles.
- The activation grew from a wider BMW–Sony/Marvel partnership that included product placement and a special‑edition car at the Los Angeles premiere, and it has renewed scrutiny of BMW’s earlier pledge not to run dashboard ads with no regulatory action reported so far.