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Those who adopted the MM table – or as it has been more recently designated, the Legacy Table – had five years’ notice of the need to adopt a new method based on the Vehicle Configuration database (VCdb). Because it is a relational database, the VCdb addresses the shortcomings of the Legacy Table. One can link data to the Base Vehicle ID and express Year, Make, Model only, when appropriate. But, when more vehicle detail is required there are over 40 additional coded attributes about the Engine, Transmission, Body Style and more. All of the major vehicle systems are validated to the Base Vehicle. So, it’s nearly impossible to describe a vehicle that wasn’t produced when using the VCdb.
The VCdb is the cornerstone of the ACES specification for electronic catalog data exchange. It is designed for the way automotive data is exchanged in North America. It includes Light Duty, Medium and Heavy Duty as well as Power Sports applications from the current model year back to 1896. The ACES VCdb is the de Factor standard for North America and it is important to note that nearly every major retail and wholesale chain has adopted ACES as their native method of receiving catalog data updates.
But, if you are among those who put off the migration from Legacy to ACES just a little too long, and still find yourself sending or receiving files with the AAIA Make/Model ID, what does the beginning of the New Year mean for you? For one, the December 2012 MM table is the last that will be will publish. It includes over 90 percent of the 2013 model year vehicles. But, it will not be updated any further. All research and publication efforts will be devoted to making the VCdb as complete and current as possible. Users will also notice that tables have been removed from the VCdb that once referred to the corresponding Legacy records.
The sun has set on the Legacy Make Model table and all excuses for delaying a migration to ACES have gone out the window. Certainly, some trading partners will continue to send and receive Legacy files until the last ACES implementation is complete. But, with each month of new model year additions to the VCdb, the Legacy tables will become more out-of-date.
So, lift a glass to the Legacy Table. Ring in a new year of aftermarket efficiency. The Age of ACES is here in full. And, the future of aftermarket data exchange has never looked brighter.
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