Open Vehicle Schema

Open Vehicle Schema

The open, vendor‑neutral automotive data standard.

Clean schemas. Stable IDs. Transparent data. Built for the modern automotive ecosystem.

Get Started Read the Docs
Deterministic IDs Versioned Open Governance Vendor‑neutral 
{
  "Vehicle": {
    "year": 2024,
    "make": "Example",
    "model": "Alpha",
    "trim": "Base",
    "body": "Sedan",
    "engine": { "type": "I4", "displacementL": 2.0 },
    "transmission": { "type": "Automatic", "gears": 8 },
    "options": ["Sunroof", "AWD"]
  }
}

The Standard

OVS defines a precise language for vehicles so systems can interoperate with confidence.

Structured

Year → Make → Model → Trim → Body → Engine → Transmission → Options. A clear hierarchy that eliminates ambiguity.

Deterministic IDs

Stable, opaque identifiers derived from canonicalized attributes. No collisions, no surprises.

Open & Neutral

Designed in the open with transparent definitions, versioning, and community governance.

Implementation‑Ready

Practical for databases, APIs, and data pipelines. Built by engineers, for engineers.

The Schema

A compact, explicit schema for consistent representation across systems.

Year
→
Make
→
Model
→
Trim
→
Body
→
Engine
→
Transmission
→
Options

Shape

{
  "year": 2024,
  "make": "Example",
  "model": "Alpha",
  "trim": "Base",
  "body": "Sedan",
  "engine": { ... },
  "transmission": { ... },
  "options": [...]
}

Principles

  • Explicit types and fields
  • Hierarchy over heuristics
  • Deterministic, stable IDs
  • Versioned for long‑term compatibility
  • Machine-readable and human-friendly

Example data for demonstration purposes.

OVS IDs

Deterministic identifiers that reference canonical records—designed for stability.

  • Deterministic and stable across releases
  • Opaque identifiers referencing canonical records
  • Composable across hierarchy (Year/Make/Model/...)
  • Ideal for databases, APIs, and integrations
  • License-free and community-governed
Example
OVS-V-2014-HONDA-CIVIC-LX-1.8L-I4
See OVS ID formats and derivation in the docs.

Reference Dataset

Community‑maintained, validated against the schema with deterministic ID stability checks.

Validation Pipeline

Automated checks for schema compliance and ID stability on contributions.

Versioned Releases

Semantic versioning with clear rules for MINOR and PATCH updates.

Open Source

Propose changes, review updates, and help evolve the standard.

View on GitHub

Full dataset browsing will come later; this site shows examples and guidance.

Get Started

Read the versioned docs, integrate the schema, and reference OVS IDs in your systems.

Docs v1 Overview JSON Schema OVS IDs Integration Guide Examples Versioning

Contributing

Help improve the schema, dataset, tools, and docs.

  • Propose schema improvements and clarifications
  • Contribute dataset records following validation rules
  • Enhance tooling (validator, CLI, converters)
  • Review issues and pull requests

OVS is built by the community, for the community. Every contribution helps make automotive data more accessible and interoperable.

Contribute on GitHub