Need Vehicle Dataset with Images in PHP Format

[EpifaniaPersons]

Hi Everyone!

I am new here, and the main purpose of joining this community is getting some help. Actually, I am designing a PHP website where I need to fetch US vehicles data into PHP. I have already used this source to get the vehicle's dataset from here https://www.back4app.com/database/back4app/car-make-model-dataset. Still, now my client wants to include images, and according to my team we should consider a source which provides both images and other details dataset into PHP.

I have done much research but unable to find such a source. I also found Teoalida's dataset very useful I am not sure either it provides images or not. Please share car dataset that also includes images in PHP format. I am also thinking to use Kaggle Datasets from here https://www.kaggle.com/datasets but I am not sure about images.

Any suggestions?

[rproffitt]

That's a tough one because many images have copyright issues so you have to pay for some rights (along with the images) or build your own. I know folk that just scraped the webs for such images only to learn later with a takedown order from the image owners.

Here's a nod to https://www.google.com/search?&q=open+source+car+images but be sure to read the usage limitations when you look at these.

[EpifaniaPersons]

Thanks. But I also found few sources like Programmable web which is offering imagery APIs. Do you think they can help? Still can face license or copyright issues?

[rproffitt]

As to the Programmable web, you have to check their use policy. You see some of the copyrights and more called out at https://www.kaggle.com/terms

At https://www.programmableweb.com/terms you see they absolve themselves of this issue and more.

Remember I only bring this up since a few I know didn't listen, got hit with a takedown notice and had to re-do a lot of their site. If they had done their homework up front about all this, maybe they wouldn't have lost all those months of work. Then again one of the lot was in full denial that images could be copyrighted.

[rproffitt]

This just in. https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/21/atrocious-congress-crams-language-criminalize-online-streaming-meme-sharing-5500#

It appears the rules are changing.

As The Verge's Makena Kelly reported:

The CASE Act would create a quasi-judicial tribunal of "Copyright Claims Officers" who would work to resolve infringement claims. As outlined in the bill, copyright holders could be awarded up to $30,000 if they find their creative work being shared online.

[EpifaniaPersons]

Then probably royalty free images or images with creative commons license would work but I am not sure for a dataset.

[rproffitt]

If you are obtaining a dataset then the supplier should answer what you may use it for. (AKA usage rights.)

This from Wikipedia as we go down the rabbit hole:

Some images may contain trademarked logos incidentally (or purposely if the image is either freely licensed, covered under freedom of panorama, or being too simple to be copyrightable). If this is the case, please tag it with {{trademark}}. Copyrighted elements may also be present in de minimis in photographs, where the copyrighted element is visible but not the focus of the photograph. In such cases, de minimis copyrighted elements do not affect the copyright of the photograph; such a photo may still be licensed freely. For example, a photograph of Times Square can be considered free despite the numerous advertising signs in sight, as these ads are considered to be de minimis.

• Wikipedia.

Why I posted that is because cars often have trademarked logos. Also because of new laws coming along with the acts I noted above it has become even more complicated. Again some will dismiss this, others will be in other countries so US law does not apply.

-> I can't guess what your final site will be like but have you considered what other sites like cars.com do for car photos? They have some stock ones for many and then take photos of the ones for sale which up until this new law was a non-issue.

You might want to drop an email to Leonard French (see google) and see if he has some input (output?) about these changes.

Remember I take it this is a commercial venture with the goal of monetization and sales. If this is just some personal use database then almost all what I wrote above doesn't apply.

[EpifaniaPersons]

I am reviving this topic again and need some help. Yes, I have used some open-source and free resources to get vehicle images for my project. But we are getting some quriers about the unavailability of few vehicle models particularly the old ones. In this regard, I am thinking to manually adding some images from sources like these https://www.google.com/search?q=open+source+vehicle+images but honestly these are not enough reliable and I want a complete PHP file to replace it with the existing one.

That is why I am also considering some sources like this https://www.thedataplanet.com/databases/autoparts-database.html but yes, it comes with a quote and I am not sure that my client would like this proposal or not. Still I am not aware either this dataset has all the required images. Isn't possible to go with some low quote vehicles' images database? If you have any option please suggest. Can I also find similar data on Kaggle? Yes with some pricing and a proper license.

[rproffitt]

From your last post it appears that client and maybe the developer is chafed by copyright and trademark laws. In my reply above about going down the rabbit hole I attempted to gently break it to all that we can't go get images from where ever and not have a worry about possible actions by the copy/trademark holders.

In extreme cases like https://www.motorious.com/articles/news/s550-eleanor-seized/ you find the car's image and name is so tied up in legal wrangling that you won't go near that image or name.

I bet folk new to this will be floored.

[Dani]

I would stick to stock image databases such as shutterstock.com or Adobe Stock Photos. Unfortuantely, I couldn't even begin to tell you what their collection of car images is like.

If nothing like this exists, something you may wish to do once you've built your own database of royalty free car images is to license it to others. You probably aren't the only one with a need. And it's been my experience that when you have such a need for something like this, and have spent so long curating your collection, others have a need for it too!!

[EpifaniaPersons]

Making own royalty-free image database is such a good idea. But I have a question. Is it possible to get old vehicles' images from manufacturers? Likewise, it would work if I mail car manufacturers to get some help? Secondly, stock images places are good but it is hard to find every model, brand etc with them.

[rproffitt]

E,

I think you're falling into a trap here. What trap? Trying to make an image database of all models of all time. Folk I know that needed such collected and found the images as they needed them.

[RayPalmer]

I will tell from the experience, usually the mentor or the manager helps with such questions, well if of course Google did not help. It is usually better to take stock images, or if it is critical to have quality and uniqueness, buy ready-made bases, or hire a contractor for such work, it all depends on the timing and importance