Auto Care Association Releases Application Programming Interface for ACES, PIES, IPO

A new application programming interface released by the Auto Care Association this past November is now being made available to the entire auto care industry, as shared in a recent press release.

The API is an alternative to manually downloading the organization’s ACES, PIES, and IPO reference databases. In an effort to get content to users faster, ACA began updating these databases from monthly to weekly in January 2023. In May 2024, ACA then announced it would be releasing an API later that year to increase speed and efficiency.

Provided in the JSON format, the API allows users to update reference database content on a daily basis, obtain complete database tables and/or updates to the database tables, and to automate IT processes.

While reference databases will still be available for manual download through the Auto Care VIP website, it will now be updated on a monthly basis again. ACA has offered this link for Auto Care VIP and Auto Care Data Standards users to schedule a meeting and learn more, by selecting the option API Support.

“As we move toward the goal of real time exchange of content between partners via API, the logical first step is leveraging that approach with the reference data we all consume from Auto Care,” said Marc Pappas, Federated Auto Parts CIO and chair of ACA’s technology standards committee. “This will serve both to proof the concept and also allow us to make any enhancements before moving forward with more functionality.”