Dash camera access

Dash camera in the actual mirror? I think what you are seeing is the dusk sensor for the auto dimming element of the mirror.

 

he was doing the dealer thing.

 

That is the camera which detects suicidal pedestrians and sometimes roadside speed limits as well.

 

ah, i guess toyota might use it in a legal proceeding. maybe you can use tech stream, but more likely, it's in their secure little black box.

 

The salesperson was correct, at least that the camera can supposedly store images for later retrieval. As the Owner’s Manual (OM47B39U) says, on page 268:

The pre-collision system is equipped with a sophisticated computer that will record certain data, such as:
[ . . . ]
• Image information from the camera sensor (available only when the pre-collision braking function was operating)
[ . . . ]
● Recorded image information can be erased using a specialized device.
The image information recording function can be disabled. However, if the function is disabled, data from when the pre-collision system operates will not be available.​

Toyota’s service documentation uses the term Forward Recognition Camera. As discussed in this thread, it appears to be a camera and machine vision processor in one unit; I believe the video never leaves the camera during normal operation, since it has only power and CAN bus connections at relatively low bitrates.

Using Toyota’s Techstream software, under Chassis > Front Recognition Camera > Utility, there are two settings that can be changed. PCS Image Information Clear erases stored images, and PCS Image Record Setting enables or disables the recording function.

I haven’t found any published description of the image format or recording capacity, nor of the equipment or software needed to extract stored images. As far as I know, the ordinary Techstream software can’t do it, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Toyota or DENSO, the camera supplier, would have to be involved, at least for now. As more cars get cameras, the aftermarket may develop tools for law enforcement or insurance companies to extract the images, as has already been done with Crash Data Retrieval tools for event recorders.

It’s disappointing that the built-in camera can’t be used as an ordinary dash cam. In Japan, Toyota sells two models of “drive recorders” as dealer-installed options (the DRD-H66 and DRT-H66A), each with a separate forward-facing camera; I wouldn’t expect them to do this if it were feasible to add a user-accessible recording capability for the camera already on the car.

 

Ah, the camera in the windscreen, not the mirror.

 

I had the same question. I was going to buy a dashcam and then I read there is a camera in there already. Wish there was a way to connect it to my phone and download footage.

 

Hmm, do you just connect a wire to it towards your phone? I'm not sure either.