When automotive writer Zerin Dube started his 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the infotainment screen flashed a promotional banner offering $1,500 in loyalty cash before the home view appeared. The ad arrived over the vehicle’s cellular link, originated from Stellantis, and persisted for fifteen seconds, reappearing on the next ignition if dismissed. Dube posted the screenshot to X, framing it as an example of in‑car advertising.

Automakers have been swapping mechanical levers for electronic signals since the early 1990s, turning throttle, steering and braking into wire‑based commands. That shift introduced the CAN bus, a shared network lacking authentication because designers assumed no external traffic. Once infotainment units gained cellular modems, manufacturers could push data—and ads—directly to the bus, treating the cabin as a monetizable platform.

The move from button‑rich dashboards to sprawling touchscreens—exemplified by Tesla’s 2012 Model S and later Mercedes’ 56‑inch Hyperscreen—made remote updates trivial and opened inventory for advertisers. Consumers now face a vehicle that behaves like a subscription service, with manufacturers controlling both functionality and revenue streams. The Jeep incident proves that today’s car is as much a data‑driven platform as a means of transport.