OnStar Corporation is a subsidiary of General Motors that provides subscription-based communications, in-vehicle security, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote diagnostics systems throughout the United States and Canada. OnStar services are only available currently on vehicles manufactured by General Motors. The service is available for all vehicles that have the factory-installed OnStar hardware. The service currently has more than five million subscribers.

Overview

The OnStar service relies on CDMA mobile phone voice and data communication, primarily via Verizon Wireless in the United States and Bell Mobility in Canada, as well as location information using GPS technology. Drivers and passengers can use its audio interface to contact OnStar representatives for emergency services, vehicle diagnostics and directions. OnStar equipped vehicles with an active subscription will also contact representatives, based out of Pontiac, Michigan; Charlotte, North Carolina; Makati, Philippines; and Oshawa, Ontario in the event of a collision where the airbags are deployed. Newer models will contact OnStar in any type of collision whether airbags deploy or not. This new service is called Automatic Crash Response (ACR) and is designed to assist emergency response efforts.

When a driver presses the Red OnStar Emergency button or Blue OnStar button, current vehicle data and the user's GPS location are immediately gathered. This information is then sent to OnStar. OnStar Emergency calls are routed to the OnStar Center with highest priority. Two centers exist to receive emergency calls: Charlotte, North Carolina and Oshawa, Ontario; and all centers are open 24 hours a day.

Starting 2009, General Motors will equip new vehicles with Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. This allows police to remotely slow down the vehicle. The service is also expected to help reduce the risk of property damage, serious injuries or fatalities resulting from high-speed pursuits of stolen vehicles. Customers may opt out of that function.

Verizon Wireless currently offers the "Nationwide Plan with OnStar," which is a bundle plan between Verizon Wireless service and OnStar service. With this plan, the Verizon Wireless phone is the "primary line" and the OnStar device is the "secondary line." This plan is actually based around the "Family SharePlan," with rates starting at $69.99 USD for 700 minutes.

History

OnStar was formed in 1995 as a collaboration between GM, Electronic Data Systems and Hughes Electronics Corporation. Each of the founding companies brought a specific area of expertise to the enterprise: GM brought vehicle design and integration and a distribution system of millions of vehicles, EDS brought much of the systems development and information management and customer service technologies, while Hughes contributed communications and satellite technology and automotive electronics.