1985 Auto Imports Database with Insurance Risk and Loss Data

A dataset of 1985 automobile imports containing specifications, insurance risk ratings, and normalized loss payments. The data was compiled by Jeffrey C. Schlimmer from sources including Ward's Automotive Yearbook and insurance manuals. It includes 26 attributes such as make, body style, engine characteristics, and price.

Use Cases

• Predicting vehicle insurance risk rating (symboling) based on physical specifications.
• Modeling vehicle price using features like horsepower, engine size, and fuel type.
• Analyzing the relationship between normalized losses and vehicle body style or safety features.
• Classifying vehicle makes or body styles using a combination of continuous and categorical attributes.

Strengths

• Includes 26 distinct attributes covering specifications, risk, and financial data.
• Data sources are explicitly cited, including authoritative automotive and insurance publications.
• Attribute value ranges and types are documented in the description.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is from 1985, so it may not reflect modern vehicle technology or market conditions.
• The modification note indicates a categorical feature was redefined due to missing values.

Provenance

Source

UCI Machine Learning Repository, originally from 1985 Ward's Automotive Yearbook and insurance manuals.

Collection Method

Compiled from published automotive specifications and insurance industry reports.

Time Range

1985

Freshness

Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Geography

Likely focuses on imported vehicles to the U.S. market, but specific geography is not stated.