Data Collection of Driving Environmental Images through On-Board CamerasInitiatives to Realize a Safe Mobility Society

Sustainability

Toyota collects image data of the driving environment (hereinafter referred to as "out-of-car image data") through on-board cameras mounted on test vehicles and the vehicles of some customers. Toyota will use the images to develop safer vehicles and systems, and services that improve transport infrastructure with the aim of contributing to the realization of a safer and more convenient mobility society.

Some may wonder, "Will I also be recorded on camera?" or "What will the image data be used for?" and "Is my privacy protected?" in regards to the collection of out-of-car image data by Toyota. This section introduces our philosophy concerning the collected data, the use of out-of-car image data, and our efforts to protect personal information and respect privacy.

Toyota's Philosophy―Safe and Free Movement for Everyone

Our ultimate goal is zero traffic fatalities. To realize this in addition to developing safer vehicles, it is essential to educate people, namely drivers and pedestrians, and ensure safe traffic infrastructure such as roads and traffic equipment. Toyota promotes an "Integrated Three Part Initiative," involving people, vehicles, and the traffic environment, to realize a safe mobility society.

Out-of-car image data includes information on road and traffic environments where customers actually drive their vehicles. This information cannot be obtained at test tracks. Through learning about actual road and traffic environments, Toyota can accelerate the development of safer vehicles and systems that suit those actual conditions. Toyota can also lead initiatives to help make society more convenient and safer, through the development of services that contribute to the improvement of the transport infrastructure.

Toyota will collect and use out-of-car image data to achieve a safe mobility society while disclosing appropriate information to the public. The purpose of use, situations and locations will differ depending on the vehicle which out-of-car image data has been collected from, and the intended project implementation. Please refer to the following for details regarding the purpose of use for each and the timing of out-of-car image data collection.

Out-of-car image data collected from the vehicles of some customers

Out-of-car image data collected from test vehicles (to be posted at a later date)

Out-of-care image data collected in various demonstration tests (to be posted at a later date)

Out-of-car image data collected from the vehicles of some customers in the Japanese market

Out-of-car image data to be collected

: Sample of the out-of-car image data to be collected (Collected in an environment different from actual acquisition conditions)

Toyota only collects out-of-car image data in a video format when certain requirements are met by those vehicle models equipped with advanced driving support systems (Toyota Teammate and Lexus Teammate) and advanced safety systems (Toyota Safety Sense and Lexus Safety System +). The out-of-car image data is recorded in the vehicle when a specific situation occurs and is transmitted through the in-vehicle communication unit (DCM^*) to the Toyota server.

*Data Communication Module

Recording conditions for out-of-car image data to be collected

When a certain level of conflict or a situation close to a conflict occurs (from a few minutes to approximately two minutes before or after)
When the vehicle is driving on a road in a particular traffic environment (including traffic jams, bad roads, and bad weather)
When the vehicle is driving on a particular type of road (including newly opened roads or expanded roads)
After a predetermined time after starting the engine (for a few seconds before and after)

(We will only collect out-of-car image data in 1 and 4 of the above situations from vehicles equipped with Advanced Drive.)

Purpose of Use

We will collect and use out-of-car image data for the following purposes.

R&D for autonomous driving, advanced safety, and map-related technologies (including technology, product development, and quality improvement)
Providing products and services using out-of-car image data (including analysis of driving conditions for advice on safety driving, and analysis of driving environments for providing information on falling objects, road damage)
Distribution of traffic conditions, provision of maps for automated driving and advanced safety systems, etc.

In addition, we plan to release services that will allow customers using the target vehicle to use out-of-car image data recorded on their own vehicle.

Provision to a Third Party

Out-of-car image data collected from advanced driving support systems and advanced safety systems may be provided outside the Company only in the following cases

Use of data to solve social issues and improve transport infrastructure
- For the purpose of R&D (including technology, product development, and quality improvement) for autonomous driving, advanced safety systems, and map-related technologies, when provided to third parties or contractors, such as automated driving software-related companies (including joint research partners)
- Provision to a third party, such as a mapping company, or our contractor for the purpose of R&D for map-related technology
- Provision to a third party, such as the local government, for the purpose of road improvement
- When providing services to applicants for individual services such as traffic status distribution

In these cases, we will establish contracts with suppliers for appropriate data management, confirm security measures and management, and manage handling status on a regular basis. In addition, we will apply data anonymization by mosaic processing and trimming (removal of some off-vehicle image data, if necessary) where possible depending on the intended purpose.

In the event of a legal request that is enforceable by the police, courts, or other government agencies
Based on the request from customers using a target vehicle (customers who have applied for a communication service contract (T-Connect/G-Link) for the target vehicle)

Protecting Personal Information and Respecting Privacy

The out-of-car image data may include people walking on a walkway or on the roadside, or the license plate of a vehicle driving in front of, or in adjacent lanes. Toyota handles this out-of-car image data as personal information in compliance with the Personal Information Protection Law and other related laws. We are also implementing initiatives to respect the privacy of people who are captured on camera.

In order to protect personal information and respect the privacy of people who are captured on camera, Toyota will take the following measures, through communication with experts from outside the company and government agencies

Disclose appropriate information regarding the handling of out-of-car image data in a timely manner (on this website)
Restrict access to out-of-car image data and access log management
Storage in a format that does not allow for the search of a specific individual or vehicle in the out-of-car image data
Prohibit tracking of specific individuals and vehicles included in out-of-car image data, and analysis of behavioral characteristics and travel trends
Anonymization of data using mosaic processing and trimming, depending on the purpose of data provided outside the company

We will continue to make efforts to provide sufficient explanations and responses so that our initiatives are understood by those who may be captured on camera.