07:16 20-10-2025

Tesla's Tron: Ares tie-in turns infotainment into ads

Tesla has rolled out an infotainment update that folds in a promotional tie-in for the film Tron: Ares. In place of the usual interface art, the screen now shows neon Light Cycles, the turn-signal sound changes, and even the ambient lighting shifts. For fans of cyber aesthetics it’s a playful experiment; for many Tesla owners, it already feels intrusive.

The idea of a clean, uncluttered interface is back in doubt. Carmakers are racing to turn vehicles into digital platforms, and Tesla has long led that push, but this time the playful gamification gives way to straight advertising. On social media, owners say they can’t switch off the new sounds, and some joke that banner ads could be the next tile in the menu, just like on a smartphone. The move reads less like a lighthearted Easter egg and more like an ad buy dropped into the cockpit.

Tensions between Elon Musk and Disney add extra heat; against that backdrop, the Tron placement comes off as especially contentious. Owners worry this is only the beginning, with more commercial content shaping how the car feels to use.

Tesla is once again testing the audience’s patience. Some have grown used to the brand’s experiments, while others are tired of ideas that feel pushy. If automakers keep steering toward ad-laden interfaces, a larger debate is bound to follow: who actually controls the screen—the manufacturer or the driver?