Vehicle Data Collection Modes for Privacy-Safe Sensor Monitoring

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The use of cameras and sensors in vehicles raises privacy and security concerns, including unauthorized access to image data and hacking risks, which can lead to legal issues and breaches of privacy laws.

Innovation Solution

An onboard vehicle system with adaptive data collection settings that respond to user input and vehicle context, controlling data collection, storage, and transfer through multiple modes tailored to specific locations, times, and occupant preferences, ensuring compliance with privacy and security restrictions while maintaining safety functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cameras and sensors are used in vehicles for safety and ADAS, then vehicle safety and efficiency are improved, but privacy concerns and data security risks worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle safetyVSAvoidprivacy concerns

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts data collection settings based on real-time context detection. When restricted areas are detected via GPS or geofencing, the system automatically modifies camera and sensor operation modes, transitioning from continuous monitoring to selective or disabled states, thereby adapting safety functionality to privacy requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments data collection into multiple modes (full collection, selective collection, minimal collection) and applies different segmentation levels to different spatial zones. Restricted areas trigger a segment that disables or limits data capture, while unrestricted areas maintain full monitoring capabilities, allowing simultaneous safety operation and privacy protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If cameras continuously monitor vehicle interior, then safety monitoring is improved, but personal space privacy worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety monitoringVSAvoidpersonal space privacy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes operational parameters of cameras based on detected context. In restricted zones, parameters such as recording resolution, frame rate, or activation state are modified to reduce personal space intrusion while maintaining sufficient data for safety-critical functions like driver monitoring or collision detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If vehicle connectivity is increased for data transfer, then data processing capability is improved, but vulnerability to hacking and unauthorized access worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata processing capabilityVSAvoidhacking risks

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Different security qualities are applied to different data streams and communication channels. The system implements location-based access control where data transferred to external systems in restricted areas undergoes enhanced security processing, while data from unrestricted areas uses standard protocols, allowing high connectivity where safe and restricted connectivity where vulnerable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Loss of information

If cameras capture images in restricted areas, then complete environmental data collection is improved, but legal compliance worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental data collectionVSAvoidlegal problems

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from GPS location data, geofencing boundaries, or contextual sensors to continuously monitor whether the vehicle is in a restricted area. This feedback loop triggers automatic adjustment of camera operation to comply with legal requirements, preventing unauthorized capture while maintaining data collection in permissible zones

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20260037663A1Adaptive data collection in vehicles for enhanced privacy and data security

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 VOLVO CAR CORP

AI summary

Techniques for adapting data collection in vehicles for enhanced security and privacy are provided. A computer-implemented method, performed by a data processing device of a vehicle, comprises selecting a data mode, regarding data capable of being collected via one or more data collection devices integrated on or within the vehicle, from amongst a plurality of different data modes configured for the vehicle that vary with respect to one or more settings selected from the group consisting of: a collection setting that controls collection of the data via the one or more data collection devices, a storage setting that controls storage of the data, and a transfer setting that controls transfer of the data. The method further comprises controlling the collection, the storage, and the transfer of the data in accordance with the data mode, as opposed to another data mode of the different data modes, based on the selecting.