About the IIHS-HLDI API

The IIHS-HLDI Application Programming Interface (API) provides a way for web developers and application engineers to retrieve IIHS-HLDI vehicle ratings, crash test photos and videos, and related information on hundreds of vehicle models for use in their own consumer-facing applications.

Access to the IIHS-HLDI API is subject to approval and requires that your intended use is consistent with the display requirements listed in the documentation.

Get started

  1. Browse the Documentation — note Data Display Requirements.
  2. Review the IIHS-HLDI API Terms of Service — please play particular attention to Section 5.
  3. Review the IIHS-HLDI API Privacy Notice
  4. Register for a user account.

About the IIHS-HLDI vehicle ratings

IIHS-HLDI tests evaluate two aspects of safety: crashworthiness — how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash — and crash avoidance and mitigation — technology that can prevent a crash or lessen its severity. To determine crashworthiness, IIHS-HLDI currently maintains ratings in three crashworthiness evaluations: moderate overlap front, small overlap front (including driver-side and passenger-side) and side tests. IIHS recently revamped its moderate overlap front and side tests. The update moderate overlap front test now includes a rear passenger dummy, and the updated side test is a more severe crash and uses a more realistic striking barrier. The updated tests are being incorporated into our regular evaluations. In crash avoidance and mitigation, IIHS-HLDI tests vehicle and pedestrian front crash prevention systems and headlights. Vehicles are rated good, acceptable, marginal or poor, based on performance, in these evaluations. The small overlap front rating combines the driver-side and passenger-side evaluations into a single rating and is equivalent to the lower of the two results.

We also evaluate seat belt reminders and the child seat attachment hardware known as LATCH. LATCH evaluations include an additional rating of good+.

Older ratings for roof strength, rear (or seat/head restraints) and vehicle front crash prevention systems are still available. Roof strength and rear ratings are rated good, acceptable, marginal or poor. Older vehicle front crash prevention systems (as well as older day and night pedestrian front crash prevention system evaluations) are rated basic, advanced or superior, based on the type of system and performance in track tests.

The vehicles that perform best in the tests qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK, which has been awarded since the 2006 model year, or TOP SAFETY PICK+, which was inaugurated in 2013.

What data can I access with the IIHS-HLDI API?

The current version of the IIHS-HLDI API organizes vehicle ratings by model year, make, and vehicle model. Available photos and video for front and side tests are also included. IIHS-HLDI TOP SAFETY PICK and IIHS-HLDI TOP SAFETY PICK+ winners and the criteria for the respective award year are also listed in the API. Sometimes a given model has more than one rating in a particular test. In these cases, all ratings are included in the API and the primary ratings are indicated in the data. Keep in mind not every vehicle model will have a rating for every test program.

What are the use restrictions for the IIHS-HLDI API?

The ratings data in the IIHS-HLDI API includes additional information on tested vehicles to ensure that consumers will not be misled about the performance of specific vehicles in safety evaluations. Consequently there are attributes for several elements in the data that must be incorporated into the display of some ratings in the IIHS-HLDI API. These attributes and other display requirements are specifically addressed in Section 5 of the Terms of Service. Additionally, corrections and updates to information from earlier IIHS-HLDI API queries must be made promptly upon notification by IIHS.

A user of the IIHS-HLDI API may not download more than the allotted data amount. Data limits are determined based on the information supplied during the registration process. A user’s account will be restricted and/or throttled if necessary to remain in compliance with their account’s data limit.

The IIHS-HLDI API will be refreshed to match the content displayed on the www.iihs.org website at least twice daily at 12:15AM and 10:15AM.

Unless otherwise explicitly agreed to by IIHS, these use restrictions and all terms and conditions set forth in the Terms of Service are in effect when exploring the IIHS-HLDI API and/or when accessing the IIHS-HLDI API via a unique API key, which will be supplied to approved registered users.