We have become drearily used now to the constant presence of advertising in our lives. It's not necessarily a bad thing - advertising at its best is every bit as entertaining, informative and educational as the content it accompanies, but for every Ridley Scott-directed work of the commercial art, there are a billion pop-ups trying to get you to play online poker or enlarge your genitalia.
So how would you feel about having ads in the dashboard of your car? That's just the scenario currently being proposed by General Motors for its internet-enabled MyLink infotainment system. OnStar is GM's rival to the likes of BMW's iDrive, Ford's SYNC and Renault's R-Link. It's controlled and viewed through a large touch-screen and essentially allows you to control and run your Bluetooth-equipped mobile device through your car. It's not available in Ireland just yet - partly because many of its functions require a fast-moving mobile data network and partly because thus far it's a Chevrolet-brand-only system.
But advertising? That's certainly the kite that GM boss Dan Ackerson has been flying recently, saying that MyLink would potentially allow GM to "tap new sources of revenue and boost profit margins."
"For example, what happens if when the logo shows on your screen, it says 'brought to you by Allstate' (a major American insurance firm)?" asked Ackerson. "How many times is that going to pop? And how much can you get from Allstate?"
According to Reuters, GM expects to make around $20 from advertising for each customer who signs up to the MyLink service. But will it alienate users, if their car suddenly starts popping up ads for washing powder or sandwiches every time they turn the key? And what if a rival car maker decided to get in on the action and try to purchase ads on the service? What if your Chevrolet suddenly started displaying messages that read "shouldn't you be driving a Chrysler?" Unlikely perhaps, but if RTE will sell advertising space to Sky television, perhaps GM, keen to shore up profit margins that have fallen behind those of rival Ford, will not be able to resist.
Will it come to Ireland? Inevitably. MyLink is already spreading out to other GM brands, with Buick now offering a near-identical system called IntelliLink, so eventually it will find its way into Opels.