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OnStar Celebrates 15 Years in Business TMCnet Contributor OnStar, a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors (News - Alert) and a leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and communication services, has successfully completed 15 years.
Employees of OnStar celebrated the company's 15th anniversary and the positive impact it's had on millions of lives. OnStar, founded in 1995 and officially launched at the Chicago Auto Show in 1996, has continually raised the bar for safety and security. 'One of the most rewarding parts about working for OnStar is knowing that we've helped save so many lives over the years,' said OnStar President Chris Preuss in a statement. 'Our emergency services also provide millions of drivers with peace of mind when they're behind the wheel.'
As the first telematics service of its kind, the company's commitment to helping people has resulted in some significant numbers: more than 1 million responses to emergency service alerts, assisting drivers, first responders and local police departments in many life threatening situations; more than 146,000 responses to Automatic Crash Notifications where OnStar sent emergency personnel to a vehicle whose driver was unresponsive after an airbag deployment; and 198 different coastal communities helped with hurricane preparedness through OnStar's Crisis Assist.
'We've heard too many stories of innocent victims who lost their lives because a high-speed car chase got out of control. With features like Stolen Vehicle Slowdown, it's now possible to eliminate that dangerous situation all together,' continued Preuss.
OnStar has responded to 51,000 requests for Stolen Vehicle Assistance since the feature was launched in 2007. That includes providing Law Enforcement the GPS location of a vehicle that's been reported stolen, or remotely slowing down a stolen vehicle in order to avoid a dangerous high-speed chase. The latter, known as Stolen Vehicle Slowdown, was first deployed last October when California resident Jose Ruiz was carjacked at gunpoint early in the morning.
In addition to safety and security, OnStar also offers subscribers many convenience features: One of the staples for OnStar is the Turn-by-Turn Navigation service, which allows an advisor to send directions directly to a subscriber's Driver Information Center or radio. More than 4.7 million doors have been unlocked by OnStar's Remote Door Unlock service. More than 147 million monthly emails have been sent to subscribers since launch giving them a real-time diagnostic report of their vehicle.
Another notable aspect of OnStar that's not directly related to their service is their advertising campaigns. The first OnStar ad to ever appear was in 1996 at the end of an episode of Seinfeld. The most recent campaign features real-life recordings of subscribers being aided by OnStar.
Recent OnStar developments include a partnership with Google (News - Alert), OnStar Mobile Applications for most GM vehicles and the introduction of its Generation 9.0 technology. GM plans to relaunch OnStar with WiFi, news podcasts, voice-activated Facebook (News - Alert), texting, e-mail and MP3 player control in an attempt to challenge Ford Sync.
Trupti Kamath is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page. Edited by Stefanie Mosca |