vehicletype

Vehicletype is a classification label used to categorize vehicles within transportation systems, data models, and policy frameworks. The category typically reflects a vehicle’s primary design, use, or propulsion, and it serves to organize inventories, support analysis, and enable interoperability between systems.

Categories are commonly grouped into domains such as land, air, water, and rail transport. Within these domains, subtypes distinguish function (passenger, freight, special-use), form (car, motorcycle, truck; airplane, helicopter; boat, ship; train, tram), and propulsion (internal combustion, electric, hybrid, human-powered). In practical datasets, vehicletype is often paired with attributes like body style (sedan, SUV, hatchback), size, and weight class to support more precise filtering.

Vehicletype is used in fleet management, insurance databases, planning models, and regulatory regimes to aggregate traffic flows, estimate demand, or enforce rules. It also supports user interfaces and search tools by allowing users to select vehicles by general category rather than a specific model.

Classification schemes vary by region and application, and new vehicle forms—such as autonomous shuttles or urban air mobility vehicles—can require updates to typologies. Clear documentation of the taxonomy and consistent application across systems are essential for data quality and comparability.

See also: Vehicle classification, Transportation mode, Vehicle type designation.