The vehicle data MCP server
for AI agents.
Paste one config block and Claude, Cursor or your internal copilot can search the catalog, read specs, check live recalls and find tire fitment — as native tools, grounded in 1,342,720 real records, with the same token as the REST API.
MCP calls share your plan's API quota — the free tier includes 100 calls/mo, no card.
What is the VehDB MCP server?
A hosted bridge between AI agents and a real, enriched vehicle database.
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard for connecting AI agents to external tools and
data. VehDB runs a hosted MCP server at https://mcp.vehdb.com/mcp
that exposes our cleaned, cross-referenced vehicle database — 853,870 cars,
233,450 motorcycles, 84,300 boats and
171,100 tire fitments, enriched with EPA fuel economy and live NHTSA recalls — to any
MCP-compatible client.
Instead of scraping pages, pasting spec sheets into a prompt, or hand-writing function-calling schemas, you paste one config block. The agent discovers every tool automatically and starts answering questions with structured, current data — the same data, same token and same quota as the REST API and the dashboard workspace.
Five tools. Real answers.
Typed inputs, JSON output — the model calls them directly, no prompt gymnastics.
search_vehicles
Search cars, motorcycles, boats or tire sizes by make, model, year, body, fuel and drivetrain — the agent resolves any vehicle the user mentions.
get_vehicle
Fetch a single record by type and UUID — full specifications plus EPA economy in one call.
recalls_for_vehicle
Live NHTSA recall campaigns and the NCAP crash-test rating for a vehicle.
tire_sizes_for_vehicle
OEM and alternate tire sizes that fit a given make/model/year, with computed geometry (±3%).
my_lists
The user's saved vehicles — the same lists curated in the dashboard, with notes and part numbers.
Tool reference
Each tool is typed and self-describing — the agent reads the schema, you don't write one.
| Tool | Inputs | Returns |
|---|---|---|
search_vehicles |
type, make, model, year, body, fuel_type, drive_type, ev_only, page |
Paginated matching records with core specs |
get_vehicle |
type, uuid |
Full specifications + EPA economy fields |
recalls_for_vehicle |
uuid |
Live NHTSA recall campaigns + NCAP rating |
tire_sizes_for_vehicle |
uuid (or make, model, year) |
OEM + alternate sizes with computed geometry |
my_lists |
— (uses the token owner) |
The user's saved lists with notes |
The same records are available over the REST API — see the full docs.
An agent grounding its answer in vehicle data
One question, three tool calls, an answer backed by today's records.
user: "We're quoting a 2024 Camry. What tires fit it and are there open recalls?" agent → search_vehicles({ "make": "Toyota", "model": "Camry", "year": 2024 }) ← { "uuid": "a1b2c3d4-…", "trim": "SE", "fuel_type_name": "GASOLINE" } agent → tire_sizes_for_vehicle({ "uuid": "a1b2c3d4-…" }) ← { "oem": "235/45R18", "alternates": ["235/40R19", "245/45R18"] } agent → recalls_for_vehicle({ "uuid": "a1b2c3d4-…" }) ← { "open_recalls": 0, "ncap_overall": 5 } agent: "The 2024 Camry SE runs 235/45R18 from the factory (235/40R19 and 245/45R18 are common alternates). No open NHTSA recalls; NCAP overall 5/5."
Connected in three steps
No SDK, no webhook, no infrastructure. A token and a config block.
Grab a Bearer token
Sign up free, open Dashboard → API Tokens, create one. It works for both the REST API and MCP — rotate it anytime.
Point your client at the endpoint
Same JSON everywhere — Claude Desktop, Claude Code or Cursor. Snippets below.
Just talk to it
"What tires fit a 2024 Camry?" — the agent discovers the tools and calls them with live data. No prompting required.
// claude_desktop_config.json
{ "mcpServers": { "vehdb": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://mcp.vehdb.com/mcp",
"headers": { "Authorization":
"Bearer TOKEN" } } } }
claude mcp add vehdb \
--transport http \
https://mcp.vehdb.com/mcp \
--header "Authorization: \
Bearer TOKEN"
// .cursor/mcp.json
{ "mcpServers": { "vehdb": {
"url": "https://mcp.vehdb.com/mcp",
"headers": { "Authorization":
"Bearer TOKEN" } } } }
Why MCP beats scraping or hand-rolled function calling
The tools, schemas and auth are hosted and discovered — you maintain none of it.
Live, not embedded
Recalls change, model years land, fitments update. A tool call returns today's record — an embedding returns whenever you last indexed.
Structured, not hallucinated
Typed parameters and JSON responses. "Will 245/40R17 fit?" gets answered with computed geometry and live recall records — not a plausible guess.
Zero glue code
No scraper to babysit, no schemas to write, no vector DB to refresh. One hosted endpoint, one token, metered on the same quota as your API.
| Approach | Setup | Freshness | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCP server VehDB | One config block | Live, every call | None — hosted & discovered |
| Hand-rolled function calling | Write schema + wiring per tool, per client | Live, if you build it | You own schemas & updates |
| Pasted docs / scraping / RAG | Build a scraper or index | Stale since last index | Re-scrape & re-embed forever |
Works with your agent stack
Any MCP-compatible client over HTTP — Bearer tokens for you, OAuth2 for AI platforms.
OAuth2 with dynamic client registration
The MCP server authenticates with the same Sanctum Bearer token as the REST API, metered by the same plan quota. Building a connector for ChatGPT or another AI platform? It also supports OAuth2 via Laravel Passport with dynamic client registration, so providers can onboard your users without manual key exchange — same tools, same quota.
What teams build on the MCP server
A vehicle-grounded copilot in every workflow that touches cars, fitment or recalls.
Support copilots
Agents answer "what fits / is it recalled" from live records, not guesses.
Learn more →Underwriting assistants
Pull body class, safety rating and open recalls at quote time.
Learn more →Fleet copilots
Normalise mixed assets and surface fuel cost & recall exposure on demand.
Learn more →Parts & fitment bots
Resolve "will it fit" tire and wheel questions with computed geometry.
Learn more →Vehicle Data MCP FAQ
Common questions about the automotive MCP server.
See the API docs, the REST API, or the vehicle data for business guide.