Automotive data dictionary
The vehicle data
glossary.
Plain-language definitions for the terms behind 1,795 vehicles of cleaned spec data — VIN, EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls, NCAP, drivetrain, tire fitment, UUID, MCP and more. If you have wondered what a field actually means, it is defined here.
Identification
- VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)
- The 17-character code uniquely identifying a vehicle. Characters encode the manufacturer (WMI), attributes (VDS) and serial (VIS). VehDB keys records to make/model/year rather than exposing per-VIN pages.
- WMI (World Manufacturer Identifier)
- The first three VIN characters identifying the manufacturer and country of origin.
- Make / Model / Year (YMM)
- The canonical taxonomy for addressing a vehicle configuration. VehDB endpoints filter and resolve on YMM.
- UUID
- A stable, opaque identifier VehDB assigns to every record so integrations reference vehicles without leaking sequential IDs.
Body & drivetrain
- Body class
- The EPA/NHTSA body category — Sedan, SUV, Pickup, Van, Coupe, Hatchback, Wagon, Convertible — used for segmentation and rating.
- Drivetrain (FWD/RWD/AWD/4WD)
- How power reaches the wheels. Affects efficiency, handling and risk profiles.
- Curb weight
- The weight of a vehicle with standard equipment and fluids but no occupants or cargo.
- GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
- The maximum operating weight of a vehicle as specified by the manufacturer; a key threshold for light vs. commercial classification.
Fuel economy & emissions (EPA)
- Combined MPG
- EPA fuel-economy estimate weighting 55% city and 45% highway driving. VehDB serves mpg_city, mpg_highway and mpg_combined.
- MPGe
- Miles per gallon equivalent — EPA efficiency metric for EVs and PHEVs based on energy content.
- CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi)
- Grams of CO₂ emitted per mile, served as co2_gpm.
- GHG score
- EPA greenhouse-gas rating from 1 (worst) to 10 (best).
- Annual fuel cost
- EPA estimated yearly fuel spend for the vehicle under standard assumptions.
Safety & recalls (NHTSA)
- Recall campaign
- A manufacturer or NHTSA-initiated safety recall, identified by an NHTSA campaign number. VehDB returns live campaigns per vehicle.
- NCAP rating
- NHTSA New Car Assessment Program crash-test rating — overall, frontal, side and rollover stars.
- vPIC
- NHTSA Product Information Catalog & VIN decoder — the free government baseline VehDB enriches and cleans.
Tire fitment
- Tire size notation
- The P-metric format e.g. 235/65R17 — section width (mm) / aspect ratio (%) R rim diameter (in).
- Section width
- The tire width in millimetres at its widest point.
- Aspect ratio
- Sidewall height as a percentage of section width.
- Overall diameter
- The full tire diameter, derived from section width, aspect ratio and rim — used to keep replacements within ±3% of OEM.
- OEM vs. alternate fitment
- The factory-specified tire size versus approved alternates that preserve overall diameter and load rating.
See these terms in action across the vehicle API, the MCP server, our data sources, or the solutions we power.