Since this patent dates back to 2021, you might wonder why Toyota hasn’t implemented it yet. It had more than enough opportunity, with the Tundra, Sequoia, and Tacoma all debuting since this patent was filed. This device was likely labeled a legal minefield. The patent explicitly mentions attaching the tow strap to the hitch, which you should never do. Off-roaders have dedicated recovery hooks, and those should be used instead. For reference, go to YouTube and see how quickly a tow ball is transformed into a two-pound metal missile.
Basically, there’s too much risk involved when recovering vehicles. If Toyota includes this apparatus as standard on the off-road-ready Tacoma TRD Pro, it’s arguably legally liable if any part fails. And as any intelligent off-roader knows, recovery kit is often abused and neglected.
If, on the other hand, Toyota includes recovery hooks and leaves it to the customer to buy a third-party strap, the automaker may be free of any legal obligations.