Tag archive: OnStar

Hot on the heels of a Nation Transportation Safety Board recommendation that the use of all electronics be banned from vehicles, OnStar, which is owned by General Motors, has announced plans to offer in-car video chat. In addition, the company will also begin incorporating Verizon 4G LTE wireless network connectivity into select vehicles to allow for cloud-based streaming to “all vehicle occupants.” While video chat might sound like… Read More

Last week, General Motors subsidiary OnStar announced it intends to change its privacy policy later this year and will continue tracking users' locations even after they discontinue OnStar service—or even if they never activate it in the first place. Now three U.S. Senators (Al Franken of Minnesota, Chris Coons of Delaware, and Charles Schumer of New York—all Democrats) have raised significant objections to OnStar's planned policy… Read More

Coming this December, OnStar is opting all users into a change of the privacy policy and plans to track users that aren't subscribed to the service. Anyone that purchases a new vehicle with built-in OnStar hardware, but doesn't activate the software will be tracked within the company. In addition, anyone that disconnects the service without calling OnStar will continue to be tracked. While OnStar collects less important information… Read More

This week, we were invited to Detroit to get a look at the just-officially announced Chevy Sonic and put the compact car through its first paces. Before we offer initial impressions, here’s the technical lowdown on the vehicle. The Sonic lines up against the likes of the Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, and size- and feel-wise the Yaris, although it’s a higher quality car than the latter. The Sonic gives Chevy bragging rights, as it’s the only… Read More

Offering the ability to track family members out driving, General Motors is rolling out testing of a program called OnStar Family Link. The initial test group takes 10,000 U.S. OnStar subscribers and gives them the ability to check their vehicle location on a Web-based map. The test is currently invitation-only, but GM claims that the service is accessible to all 6 million OnStar subscribers. The service is likely compatible with OnStar FMV, an… Read More

Ask anyone with an iPhone or Android device about their favorite apps and you’ll likely hear about Angry Birds, the Evernote journaling app, and maybe a tool for tracking your next flight. Yet, some of the most innovative apps are for your car. Surprisingly, many car owners could use these apps if they knew how to find them (just search Apple iTunes or the Android Market) and make the connection. In most cases, once you download the app, you… Read More

For as solid as it is to hit a button and talk to a live person that is willing to help you with your car and driving needs, the sad truth is that most people prefer not to talk with live operators, especially when they are driving. They want an answer, then they want to move on. Hyundai recognizes this, and has introduced what they are dubbing “the smartest Hyundais ever built”. The system may sound reminiscent of OnStar, and in theory it is,… Read More

The OnStar in-vehicle safety system has been available on selected vehicles from General Motors since 1996, but now the technology is finally going to bust loose in a form that will make it available to a wider range of vehicles—even if they're not made by GM. This spring, consumer electronics retailers will begin selling a standalone version of OnStar that takes the form of a replacement rear-view mirror that can be installed in… Read More

The myChevrolet and OnStar MyLink applications, available as free downloads, provide drivers with connectivity to their vehicles from their Android or Apple iPhone device. myChevrolet integrates with the OnStar MyLink app to access exclusive OnStar technologies. Through OnStar’s unique connection to the vehicle, owners can send remote vehicle commands such as unlocking or locking the doors, and starting the engine, perfect for those in cooler… Read More

OnStar is due for a feature upgrade to match services offered by rival Ford’s Sync music and information system. According to Bloomberg, General Motors will be adding free services hooking into Facebook to its OnStar subscription service later this month. The service currently provides accident alerts, directions, vehicle diagnostics and roadside assistance in case of an emergency. With the upgrade, OnStar will enable the always-cool… Read More

Just one day after Ford announced that its Microsoft-based Sync technology would be picking up the capability to have destinations sent to it via Google Maps, General Motors is hitting the road with Google too: the companies have just announced an agreement that will enable users to send destinations from Google Maps to their OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation service using a new feature called eNav. GM says the eNav feature will become… Read More

Vehicle location services provider OnStar—part of the greater General Motors family—is planning to let Chevrolet Volt owners leverage a little bit of Google's mapping power: the company is planning to update its Chevrolet Volt application for Android so Volt owners will be able to see the current location of their Volt pinpointed using OnStar technology and Google Maps. The functionality should certainly make it easier to… Read More

General Motors and its subsidiary OnStar have demonstrated a new prototype technology called Stolen Vehicle Slowdown that is designed to gradually reduce available engine power in a vehicle if it is reported stolen. The idea is not only to increase the recoverability of stolen vehicles, but also to reduce property damage, injuries, and fatalities which sometimes result from high speed police chases. “From its inception, the… Read More