What year did Toyota add a backup camera?

There isn’t a single year when Toyota “added” a backup camera across its entire lineup; the company began offering factory-installed backup cameras in the mid- to late-2000s, with broader adoption through the early 2010s. In the United States, a federal safety standard ultimately required rear-visibility cameras on new cars starting with the 2018 model year.

Timeline of adoption

Early experiments and first adopters

Note: The following milestones illustrate the gradual rollout of Toyota’s back-up camera technology across markets and models.

• 2007: First factory-installed rear-view cameras appear on select Toyota and Lexus models (early adopters in the U.S. and Japan).


• 2010–2012: Wider rollout across mainstream Toyota models, with cameras offered as standard or widely available options on popular sedans and SUVs.


• 2018 model year: U.S. federal safety standard requires rear-visibility cameras on all new light vehicles, accelerating standardization across Toyota’s lineup.

Across markets, this timeline reflects the broader industry shift toward rear-visibility technology rather than a single model year.

Safety standards and industry impact

The push toward backup cameras in the automotive industry traces to legislation like the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finalized a rear-visibility standard in 2014, with a compliance deadline for 2018 model year vehicles. Toyota, along with other automakers, aligned its production to meet the standard, leading to widespread availability and, in many markets, standard inclusion of backup cameras by the late 2010s.

Current status in Toyota's lineup

Today, backup cameras are standard on most new Toyota vehicles in major markets. The camera feed typically appears on the vehicle’s infotainment or instrument display and is frequently integrated with parking assist and cross-traffic alerts on higher trims. While there may be occasional market- or trim-specific exceptions, the industry-wide move has made rear-visibility cameras a near-universal feature in new Toyota models.

Summary

In summary, Toyota’s journey with backup cameras began in the mid-2000s, expanded through the early 2010s, and was reinforced by the 2018 U.S. safety standard that mandated rear-visibility cameras on new cars. The exact year a camera appeared depends on the model and market, but the trend has been toward widespread standardization across Toyota’s lineup.

What year did they start putting backup cameras on cars?

The first concept for a backup camera appeared in the 1956 Buick Centurion, but the first production car to offer one was the 1991 Toyota Soarer. These cameras became more common in luxury cars before they were mandated in all new vehicles in the United States on May 1, 2018, following the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act.
 

• 1956: The Buick Centurion concept car featured one of the first backup cameras, displaying the image on a dashboard screen. 
• 1991: The Toyota Soarer was the first production vehicle to be equipped with a backup camera, though it was sold only in Japan. 
• 2002: Infiniti brought the feature to the U.S. market with its Q45 sedan. 
• 2018: Backup cameras became a standard requirement for all new light vehicles manufactured in the United States, effective May 1, 2018. 

What year did the Toyota Camry get a backup camera?

The Toyota Camry first offered backup cameras as an available feature in the 2010 model year, but they were not standard on all trims until the 2014.5 model year. This means early models had cameras available as an option on select trims, while the 2014.5 models began to include them as a standard feature across all trim levels.
 

• 2010: The first model year to offer a rearview camera, but it was an optional feature. 
• 2014.5: Became standard on all trims. 

Does a 2012 Toyota Camry have a backup camera?

A 2012 Toyota Camry did not have a backup camera standard on all models, but it was available on certain trims and was standard on the XLE V6. For trims like the SE, SE V6, and XLE (non-V6), it was offered as an optional feature. Additionally, many 2012 models with a display audio system were pre-wired for aftermarket installation, making it possible to add a backup camera. 
This video demonstrates how to use the backup camera in a 2012 Toyota Camry: 38sToyota USAYouTube · Jan 18, 2012
Availability by trim

• Standard: Available on the XLE V6 trim.
• Optional: Available on the SE, SE V6, and XLE (non-V6) trims. 

Aftermarket options

• Many 2012 Camry models with a display audio system are pre-wired for a backup camera, which simplifies the installation of an aftermarket kit.
• Several aftermarket camera kits are available that can be easily integrated with the factory radio. 

This video shows how to install an aftermarket backup camera in a 2012 Toyota Camry: 22sRepairs by C-TopYouTube · Feb 18, 2022

What year did backup cameras become standard in Toyotas?

Toyota first put a backup camera in a production car in 1991 with the Toyota Soarer, which was sold in Japan. This was the first mass-produced vehicle to feature the technology, though it would take several more years for the feature to be introduced in the U.S. market.
 

• 1991: The Toyota Soarer was the first production car with a backup camera, available only in Japan. 
• 2002: Infiniti, Nissan's luxury brand, was the first automaker to offer a backup camera in the U.S. market on the 2002 Q45 sedan. 
• 2018: Backup cameras became a standard, mandatory feature in all new passenger vehicles in the United States.