Toyota has patented a new system that could turn your truck into a moving advertisement. The patent, creatively titled “Vehicular Advertisement Display Device And Vehicle,” outlines a setup where exterior screens on a vehicle can display ads, messages, or other stuff based on the speed you’re driving.
Here’s the Spark Notes version of the patent that was quietly published in December 2024, it’s US 12,164,360 B2 for my patent-heads in the audience.
What This Will Probably Be Used For: Ads on Wheels
Let’s be real. This is probably going to end up being used for obnoxious sports betting ads, payday loan pitches, or whatever else ad agencies think will get your attention while you’re stuck in traffic.
Imagine trying to merge onto the freeway while the truck next to you flashes “Bet $5, Win $200 on DraftKings!” in giant, retina-searing text.
Like this, but with more motion.
If I wanted more ads in my commute, I would just become one of the eight people who buy a Dodge Charger with the popup ads on the infotainment screen. Surely, anybody can see how this isn’t safe, right? Isn’t distracted driving a bad thing?
I have to say, I do not love this tech. If any Toyota folks are reading this, please, just don’t.
It’s not that I don’t trust y’all, I literally trust my Toyota with my life every time I drive. I just don’t trust any corporation on the topic of ads, specifically. Too much tomfoolery going on wherever ads are concerned. Even Firefox is getting in on it, and if we can’t trust Mozilla, then who CAN we trust?
What This Could Be Used For: Something Pretty Cool
The concept of a programmable truck wrap actually has some real interesting applications. Imagine a builder or a contractor who can change their wrap on the fly… different messages for different job sites, updated promotions without ever visiting a print shop.
That’s a feature that folks would actually want to buy! Wrapping your truck is a big hairy ordeal, construction folks HATE changing their phone number or website for exactly that reason. Could be real easy if it were electronic!
Beyond the trades, think about what modders and the good kind of hackers could do with screens like that. Let’s say whatever locks that Toyota puts on the screen, let’s imagine those are jail-breakable. You could do all sorts of wild stuff with your truck.
Moving artwork? Cool, you can do it. A rolling graffiti wall? Right on, you do you. A digital message board on wheels? Risky, but hell, if Toyota can’t stop you, neither can I.
Mine would probably be something dumb, watch out for the 2035 Toyota Tacoma TRD decked out with Party Parrot GIFs, that’ll be me. Give me a wave if you see me, and with more than one finger if you like what I write!
The Toyota Engineers Really Thought of Everything
Now, you can probably guess, I love Toyota trucks. Just really solidly built, reliable as clockwork, and that sort of no-nonsense approach made Toyota the highest volume car manufacturer on Earth. And true to form, they didn’t half-bake this one either.
The system is designed with all the attention to detail that you would expect from a Toyota.
Here’s the schematic, courtesy of the US Patent Office:
The patented display technology:
- Automatically turns off at high speeds, probably to reduce driver distraction and save power.
- Detects when the vehicle has reached its destination and can change the ads accordingly.
- I can imagine some real fun applications if folks jailbreak it, subtle wrap when in motion, and then something loud when parked. Lots of creative potential, assuming folks can beat whatever protections Toyota puts on it.
This isn’t some half-way thought out gimmick… Toyota clearly put serious engineering muscle behind the idea. Just because they can do it, though, doesn’t mean we want them to.
Your Standard, Good, Old-Fashioned Patent Disclaimer
Like any patent, filing the paper doesn’t mean it will for sure happen, just that if it DOES happen, Toyota calls dibs.
Last Word: Please Don’t Make It Suck, Toyota
Toyota has a well-earned reputation for building smart and practical vehicles that last forever. I’m not totally sold on this patent, though. I just know in my pessimistic heart that it’ll be used to put more ads on the road.
In a world where everyone is already drowning in ads, turning your truck into a rolling gas-station TV doesn’t embody that bare-knuckle brawling spirit that made Toyota trucks so popular in the first place.
Then again, if you ever see a Tacoma driving around with a hacked screen displaying a giant thumbs-up emoji when you use your turn signals the right way, that’ll probably be me. Give me and my dog a wave emoji if you see us.
