Pop-up ads are appearing again on Stellantis – Jalopnik infotainment screens

How would you feel if you started your car and a sales promotion appeared on the screen offering a discount on a new car? That’s exactly what’s happening to many Stellantis owners right now. Friend of the site Zerin Dube recently posted a photo on X of the advertisement he received in his Jeep Grand Cherokee for a $1,500 loyalty bonus with the purchase of a new Jeep. He also wrote, “Late-stage capitalism shows up in our Grand Cherokee.”

This isn’t the first time Stellantis owners have experienced spam in their vehicles. Earlier this year, another Grand Cherokee owner repeatedly received a pop-up advertisement for an extended warranty that he didn’t even qualify for because he had exceeded the required mileage. The recurrence was a bug according to Stellantis, but that doesn’t change the fact that the manufacturer continues to send spam to its cars. The part that amuses me the most is the question, “Do you have a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat, or Alfa Romeo brand vehicle?” They already know what you drive and much more, so there’s no need to ask. You wouldn’t see this ad if you were driving something that wasn’t made by Stellantis.

“Recently, a select group of owners received a special marketing notification in their vehicle, and we have tailored this special offer to minimize any break-ins:
* The simple $1,500 bonus text message will only appear at start-up and while the vehicle is stationary
*The message will disappear when the vehicle starts moving, or the driver clicks the OK or X icon on the screen, or after 15 seconds
* The message returns on the next key-on cycle only if the driver clicked Remind me later, or did not click OK or
“Our goal is to provide our customers with the best vehicle experience. As a result of these efforts, we have seen our customers take advantage of this offering,” the spokesperson said.
The Stellantis spokesperson concluded by saying that owners can permanently opt out of in-car messages by calling the company’s customer service line at 800-777-3600.

In Dube’s case, the promotion really worked. He took advantage of the offer on his screen and just became the proud new owner of a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon However, Dube makes a sad, but valid point:

Just wait, this will apply to the entire sector

Google has been planning for years to place ads on our dashboards, regardless of what we drive. Ford has a patent on technology that scans billboards you pass and displays them on your screen. It’s everywhere and it will happen to all of us sooner or later. We missed our chance to destroy ads in cars before they are allowed to live. But I swear if my car ever starts blaring Gas Station TV at me, I’ll set it on fire and walk away without looking at it, because cool guys don’t look at explosions.