The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted patent US12586110B2 to Toyota Motor North America, Inc. The patent covers systems and methods for real-time vehicle upgrade and customization, specifically detailing how a vehicle's processor can access a vehicle owner's digital non-fungible token (NFT) wallet. Upon importing customization NFTs, the system can adjust various vehicle characteristics accordingly.

This patent represents an innovation in how vehicle features and aesthetics can be personalized and potentially traded or managed digitally. While this is a patent grant and not a regulatory rule, it signals a technological direction that may influence future automotive industry standards and consumer interactions with vehicle customization. Companies operating in the automotive and digital asset spaces should be aware of this development as it pertains to intellectual property in vehicle technology.