Connect any MCP client to auto.dev — Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, and more

Connect any MCP client to auto.dev

Auto.dev exposes its full vehicle data API as native Model Context Protocol tools. AI agents can decode VINs, search listings, calculate payments, look up recalls, and more — directly inside Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and any other MCP-compatible client.

Pick Your Path

Path	Best for	Install	Auth
Remote MCP — `https://mcp.auto.dev/mcp`	Hosted clients (Claude Desktop), zero local setup	None	OAuth (one click)
Local stdio MCP — `@auto.dev/sdk`	CLI users, low-latency, offline-friendly	`npm i -g @auto.dev/sdk`	OAuth via `auto login` or API key

Both paths expose the same tools. Remote is faster to set up; stdio runs in-process with your editor.

Quickstart by Client

Remote (recommended):

claude mcp add --transport http auto-dev https://mcp.auto.dev/mcp

Then run /mcp in Claude Code and select Authenticate for auto-dev. Browser opens for OAuth.

Local stdio:

npx @auto.dev/sdk mcp install

This installs the auto CLI globally and adds the auto-dev MCP server to ~/.claude.json.

Remote (recommended):

In Claude Desktop, go to Settings → Connectors → Add Custom Connector and enter:

Name: auto-dev
URL: https://mcp.auto.dev/mcp

Local stdio:

npx @auto.dev/sdk mcp install

Auto-configures ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows). Restart Claude Desktop after install.

Remote (recommended):

Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "auto-dev": {
      "url": "https://mcp.auto.dev/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Restart Cursor. OAuth prompt opens on first tool use.

Local stdio:

npx @auto.dev/sdk mcp install

Auto-configures ~/.cursor/mcp.json.

Remote (recommended):

Add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "auto-dev": {
      "serverUrl": "https://mcp.auto.dev/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Restart Windsurf. OAuth prompt opens on first tool use.

Local stdio:

npx @auto.dev/sdk mcp install

Requires VS Code 1.99+ with GitHub Copilot Agent mode enabled.

Remote (recommended):

Add to .vscode/mcp.json (workspace) or your user settings:

{
  "servers": {
    "auto-dev": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.auto.dev/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Open Copilot Chat, switch to Agent mode, and auto-dev tools appear in the tool picker. OAuth prompt opens on first use.

Local stdio:

npx @auto.dev/sdk mcp install

Authentication

Auto.dev MCP supports two auth modes:

OAuth (default). No API key required. The first tool call triggers a browser flow at id.org.ai. Tokens are issued and refreshed automatically by your MCP client. This is the recommended path for individual users.

API key. Set AUTODEV_API_KEY=sk_ad_... in your environment, or pass it in the MCP server config. Get a key at auto.dev/pricing. Use this for shared/CI environments where browser-based OAuth isn't viable.

Tools

Every tool below is available via both transports. Plan tier determines which tools your account can call.

Tool	Description	Plan
`auto_decode`	Decode a VIN — make, model, year, trim, engine	Starter
`auto_listings`	Search vehicle listings with filters	Starter
`auto_photos`	Vehicle photos by VIN	Starter
`auto_specs`	Detailed specifications	Growth
`auto_build`	OEM build & trim data	Growth
`auto_recalls`	Safety recalls by VIN	Growth
`auto_payments`	Monthly payment calculations	Growth
`auto_apr`	Interest rates	Growth
`auto_tco`	Total cost of ownership	Growth
`auto_open_recalls`	Open / unresolved recalls	Scale
`auto_plate`	License plate to VIN lookup	Scale
`auto_taxes`	Taxes and fees estimate	Scale
`auto_docs`	Search bundled API documentation	Free
`search`	Search auto.dev knowledge base	Free
`fetch`	Comprehensive vehicle dossier	Growth

MCP Quickstart

Connect any MCP client to auto.dev

Pick Your Path

Quickstart by Client

Authentication

Tools

See Also

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