Documentation

Everything you need to integrate VIN intelligence into your stack.

Introduction

The AutoResource API provides developers with granular, factory-level data for vehicle identification numbers (VINs). Unlike standard decoders, our resolution engine prioritizes electrification data, giving you instant access to battery capacity, voltage architecture, and charging speeds.

Global Coverage

Our database covers North American, European, and Asian markets for models 1981-Present.

Authentication

Authenticate your requests by including your secret API key in the X-API-Key header.

Bash

	curl "https://api.autoresourceco.com/vin/decode?vin=5YJ3E1EA1KF123456" \
  -H "X-API-Key: your_api_key_here"

Never share your API keys. Rotate them immediately if compromised via your dashboard.

Decode VIN

Resolves a 17-character VIN to a normalized vehicle object with enhanced EV specifications.

GET https://api.autoresourceco.com/vin/decode

Query Parameters

Field	Type	Description
vin	string	Required. The 17-character Vehicle Identification Number.

Response Example

	{
  "VIN": "5yj3e1ea1kf123456",
  "Year": 2023,
  "Make": "Hyundai",
  "Model": "Ioniq 5",
  "Trim": "Limited AWD",
  "ElectrificationLevel": "BEV"
}

Batch Decode VINs

Efficiently decode multiple VINs in a single request. Perfect for bulk processing and reducing API calls. Each successful decode is billed separately, and partial failures are handled gracefully.

POST https://api.autoresourceco.com/vin/decode-batch

Request Body

Field	Type	Description
vins	string[]	Required. Array of 17-character Vehicle Identification Numbers. Maximum 50 VINs per request.
years	number[]	Optional. Array of model years corresponding to each VIN. Must match the length of the vins array.

Request Example

JSON

	{
  "vins": [
    "5YJ3E1EA1KF123456",
    "JTDKB20U487780573",
    "1HGCM82633A123456"
  ],
  "years": [2023, 2008, 2003]
}

Response Example

	{
  "results": [
    {
      "VIN": "5yj3e1ea1kf123456",
      "Year": 2023,
      "Make": "Tesla",
      "Model": "Model 3",
      "Trim": null,
      "ElectrificationLevel": "BEV"
    },
    {
      "VIN": "jtdkb20u487780573",
      "Year": 2008,
      "Make": "Toyota",
      "Model": "Prius",
      "Trim": null,
      "ElectrificationLevel": "HEV"
    }
  ],
  "errors": [
    {
      "vin": "1HGCM82633A123456",
      "error": "Invalid VIN format"
    }
  ],
  "summary": {
    "total": 3,
    "successful": 2,
    "failed": 1
  }
}

Billing Information

Each successful VIN decode in the batch is billed as a separate API call. Failed decodes (due to invalid VINs or API errors) are not billed but are logged for usage tracking. The maximum batch size is 50 VINs per request.

MCP Integration

AutoResource provides a native Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. This allows AI agents (like Cursor, Windsurf, or Claude Desktop) to directly query our database during your coding sessions.

Cursor Configuration

Add this to your Cursor settings (~/.cursor/mcp.json or project settings) to connect to the live API.

mcp.json AI Native

	{
  "mcpServers": {
    "autoresource-vin": {
      "url": "https://api.autoresourceco.com/mcp/sse",
      "headers": {
        "X-API-Key": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop Configuration

Update your Claude Desktop configuration file to enable VIN decoding capabilities.

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows: %APPDATA%\\Claude\\claude_desktop_config.json

claude_desktop_config.json

	{
  "mcpServers": {
    "autoresource-vin": {
      "url": "https://api.autoresourceco.com/mcp/sse",
      "headers": {
        "X-API-Key": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Usage Examples

Once configured, you can naturally ask your AI assistant to decode VINs.

Single VIN

"Decode this VIN for me: 5YJ3E1EA1JF123456"

Batch Processing

"Decode these VINs: 5YJ3E1EA1JF123456, JTDKB20U487780573"

Troubleshooting

If tools don't appear, try restarting your client (Cursor/Claude). Ensure your API key is valid and you are using the correct SSE endpoint: /mcp/sse.