diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b7b1aff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+# dependencies
+node_modules
+npm-debug.log*
+yarn-debug.log*
+yarn-error.log*
+
+# build output
+dist/
+build/
+out/
+coverage/
+
+# environment files
+.env
+.env.local
+.env.*.local
+
+# logs
+logs/
+*.log
+pids/
+*.pid
+*.pid.lock
+
+# runtime data
+*.sock
+
+# editor directories and files
+.vscode/
+.idea/
+*.suo
+*.ntvs*
+*.njsproj
+*.sln
+*.sw?
+
+# OS files
+.DS_Store
+Thumbs.db
+
+# Docker itself
+Dockerfile*
+docker-compose*.yml
+
+# bundle artifacts
+*.tgz
+
+# test output
+test-results/
+
+# other
+coverage/
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index ceaea36..1a2979b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -130,3 +130,4 @@ dist
 .yarn/install-state.gz
 .pnp.*
 
+.venv
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index bc8d854..44a8ffb 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ const app = express();
 require('dotenv').config();
 const port = process.env.PORT || 5000;
 
-const connectDB = require('./src/db/connectDB'); 
+const connectDB = require('./src/db/connectDB');
 connectDB(); 
 
 app.use(express.json());
diff --git a/nhtsa_jp.py b/nhtsa_jp.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dae7c8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nhtsa_jp.py
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+# nhtsa_japan_domestic.py
+
+import os
+import requests
+from pymongo import MongoClient, ASCENDING
+from typing import List, Dict, Set
+
+BASE_URL = 'https://vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov/api/vehicles'
+FMT      = 'format=json'
+
+# — MongoDB setup
+MONGO_URI = os.getenv('MONGO_URI', 'mongodb+srv://goldfishjonny:Tt0BBMbzai477RIM@csc491.g36va.mongodb.net/')
+MONGO_DB  = os.getenv('MONGO_DB',   'RevSocial')
+client    = MongoClient(MONGO_URI)
+db        = client[MONGO_DB]
+
+# — Collections & Indexes
+makes_col  = db['jdm_makes']
+models_col = db['jdm_models']
+
+makes_col .create_index('make_name',                    unique=True)
+models_col.create_index([('make',ASCENDING),
+                         ('year',ASCENDING),
+                         ('model',ASCENDING)], unique=True)
+
+def get_all_manufacturers(page: int=1) -> List[Dict]:
+    """/vehicles/GetAllManufacturers?page={page}&format=json :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}"""
+    r = requests.get(f'{BASE_URL}/GetAllManufacturers?{FMT}&page={page}')
+    r.raise_for_status()
+    return r.json()['Results']
+
+def get_makes_for_manufacturer(mfr_id: int) -> List[Dict]:
+    """/vehicles/GetMakeForManufacturer/{mfr_id}?format=json :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}"""
+    r = requests.get(f'{BASE_URL}/GetMakeForManufacturer/{mfr_id}?{FMT}')
+    r.raise_for_status()
+    return r.json()['Results']
+
+def produces_strict_passenger_car(make: str) -> bool:
+    """
+    Only count if VehicleTypeName == "Passenger Car" exactly.
+    /vehicles/GetVehicleTypesForMake/{make}?format=json :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
+    """
+    r = requests.get(
+        f'{BASE_URL}/GetVehicleTypesForMake/{requests.utils.quote(make)}?{FMT}'
+    )
+    r.raise_for_status()
+    types = [v['VehicleTypeName'].strip().lower()
+             for v in r.json()['Results']]
+    return 'passenger car' in types
+
+def seed_jdm_makes() -> List[str]:
+    """
+    Find all Japanese manufacturers, then their makes that
+    strictly produce Passenger Cars in the JDM market.
+    """
+    jdm_makes: Set[str] = set()
+    page = 1
+    while True:
+        mfrs = get_all_manufacturers(page)
+        if not mfrs:
+            break
+
+        # only Japan‐based manufacturers
+        jap = [m for m in mfrs if m.get('Country','').lower() == 'japan']
+        if not jap:
+            # no more Japan entries further on
+            break
+
+        for m in jap:
+            for mk in get_makes_for_manufacturer(m['Mfr_ID']):
+                name = mk['Make_Name']
+                if produces_strict_passenger_car(name):
+                    jdm_makes.add(name)
+                    makes_col.update_one(
+                        {'make_name': name},
+                        {'$set': {'make_name': name}},
+                        upsert=True
+                    )
+        page += 1
+
+    return sorted(jdm_makes)
+
+def seed_models_for_years(makes: List[str], years: List[int]):
+    """
+    For each JDM make, seed models_by_year documents.
+    /vehicles/GetModelsForMakeYear/make/{make}/modelyear/{year}?format=json :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
+    """
+    for make in makes:
+        for yr in years:
+            url = (
+                f'{BASE_URL}/GetModelsForMakeYear/'
+                f'make/{requests.utils.quote(make)}/modelyear/{yr}?{FMT}'
+            )
+            r = requests.get(url)
+            r.raise_for_status()
+            models = [m['Model_Name'] for m in r.json()['Results']]
+            for model in models:
+                models_col.update_one(
+                    {'make': make, 'year': yr, 'model': model},
+                    {'$set': {'make': make, 'year': yr, 'model': model}},
+                    upsert=True
+                )
+            print(f"{yr} {make}: {len(models)} models")
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    print("Seeding JDM makes…")
+    jdm = seed_jdm_makes()
+    print(f"→ {len(jdm)} Japanese domestic‐market makes stored in '{MONGO_DB}.jdm_makes'")
+
+    YEARS = list(range(2015, 2026))
+    seed_models_for_years(jdm, YEARS)
+    print("Done seeding Japanese domestic cars.")
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/controllers/carsController.js b/src/controllers/carsController.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d1acda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/controllers/carsController.js
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+const CarMake = require('../models/car_makes.js');
+
+// Get all makes
+// This function retrieves all car makes from the database and sends them as a response.
+exports.getMakes = async (req, res) =>{
+    try {
+        const makes = await CarMake.find()
+        res.status(200).json(makes);
+
+    } catch (error) {
+        res.status(500).json({
+            message: 'Server error retrieving makes',
+            error: error.message
+        });
+    }
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/controllers/userController.js b/src/controllers/userController.js
index 1dd7012..14dc4a6 100644
--- a/src/controllers/userController.js
+++ b/src/controllers/userController.js
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 const User = require('../models/user');
-const bcrypt = require('bcryptjs');
-const jwt = require('jsonwebtoken');
 
 // Get single user by ID
 exports.getUser = async (req, res) => {
diff --git a/src/models/car_makes.js b/src/models/car_makes.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ddaf4d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/models/car_makes.js
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+const { Schema, model } = require('mongoose');
+
+const carMakeSchema = new Schema(
+    {
+        make_name: {
+            type: String
+        }
+    });
+
+model.exports = model('CarMake', carMakeSchema);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/routes/v1/carsRoutes.js b/src/routes/v1/carsRoutes.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f33d64b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/routes/v1/carsRoutes.js
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+const express = require('express');
+const router = express.Router();
+const {getMakes} = require('../../controllers/carsController');
+
+router.get('/makes', getMakes);
\ No newline at end of file