Auto Care Association Releases ACES® 5.0 and PIES® 8.0

BETHESDA, Md. - April 2, 2026 - The Auto Care Association today announced the release of ACES® 5.0 and PIES® 8.0, the latest updates to the industry's data standards, along with supporting reference database schema updates. The new versions follow a comprehensive, yearlong industry review and introduce enhanced capabilities designed to support more accurate, flexible and scalable data exchange across the automotive aftermarket.

Updated schemas in this release include: VCdb 2.0, Qdb 2.0, PCdb 2.0, PAdb 5.0 and Brand Table 2.0.

Standardized Data for Evolving Global and Regulatory Needs
ACES® (Aftermarket Catalog Exchange Standard) and PIES® (Product Information Exchange Standard) serve as the industry's standardized, machine-readable (XML) methods for exchanging product fitment and product information data across the Americas. These standards are widely used by manufacturers, distributors, retailers, e-commerce platforms and solution providers across multiple sectors.

"ACES® and PIES® are foundational to how the aftermarket communicates product data," said Jonathan Larsen, vice president, digital products and standards, Auto Care Association. "These updates are focused on helping the industry to deliver richer content, improve data accuracy and adapt to evolving global and regulatory needs."

New in PIES® 8.0:

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) packaging data to support regulatory compliance;
• Multiple package configurations at a single pack level; and
• Digital asset file hashing and record sequencing to improve data validation and organization.

Increased accuracy and efficiency across the supply chain
Together, these updates to ACES® and PIES® make it easier to deliver richer product content, to improve data consistency across partners and to better support compliance and evolving market demands. The result is more accurate product listings, fewer errors and a more efficient flow of data across the supply chain.

Compatible with Catalog Assessment Reporting Tool
In addition, the AutoCareVIP.com Catalog Assessment Reporting Tool now supports ACES® 5.0 and PIES® 8.0 files. This free tool helps users evaluate and improve the quality of their ACES® and PIES® data.

Full details on the ACES® and PIES® release are provided in the Auto Care Association's latest "What the Tech?" blog post titled "ACES® 5.0 and PIES® 8.0 Are Here: What's New and What It Means for Your Business."

Learn more about Auto Care Data Standards and book a complimentary meeting with one of our experts at autocare.org/standards.