Almost everyone can relate to feeling fatigued by ads. In the US, buyers are constantly targeted with new and often intrusive marketing methods. Notice how YouTube now displays a pop-up link overlaid on your video, even after the ads have stopped? When did that start? Car buyers are now subject to it too, with ads slowly creeping into cars. Stellantis owners (that's the company that owns Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, and more) are now seeing pop-up ads in their cars.
Owners Shown Ads For $1,500 Loyalty Bonus In-Car
Chrysler too pic.twitter.com/A3Yn1Obj8c
— The Net Guy Reviews (@TheNetGuyDotCom) November 18, 2025
Folks are, predictably, pretty miffed. A car is the second largest asset most Americans purchase after their home. You'd be furious if you came down the stairs in the morning to be greeted by an ad for new stairs displayed at the bottom, after all. Most people have an expectation of privacy, some idea that they'll receive relief from the outside world when they step into their home (or their car), and the ads are a violation of that.
Unfortunately, the regulatory climate around advertising and consumer data collection in the US is staggeringly weak. Other countries and regions (like the EU) regulate what consumers can be shown and when. While the US has regulations that limit some of these things - ads specifically targeting children with certain products, for example - much of it is open season.
Stellantis Speaks Up
Stellantis issued a statement to The Drive, clarifying how the ads work and when they'll be shown, as well as how owners can get rid of them entirely:
"Recently, a select group of owners received a special marketing notification in their vehicle, and we tailored this special offer to minimize any intrusions:
- The simple text message offering a $1,500 bonus incentive appears only on startup and while the vehicle is stationary
- The message disappears when the vehicle begins moving, or the driver clicks the OK or X icon on the screen, or after 15 seconds
- The message returns at the next key-on cycle only if the driver clicked on Remind Me Later, or they did not click OK or X"
The intention, says the brand, is to "stay in contact with our owners at critical points in their ownership. Our goal is to deliver the best vehicle experience for our customers. As a result of these efforts, we have seen our customers take advantage of this offer." Stellantis does offer a way to permanently opt out, but it's a pain: you'll have to call a help line at 800-777-3600 to opt out. Stellantis and others display incentives as ads and other updates, but it's past time to regulate how and when automakers can display in-car ads - in many ways, cars should guarantee owners a similar degree of privacy as one's home, and right now, that isn't the case.
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