OnStar to expand beyond GM borders!!

[Mr. Wyndham]

http://media.gm.com/content/media/us...an/0104_onstar

OnStar today announced that it is responding to repeated consumer requests by offering its industry leading safety, security and connectivity services for non-GM and older GM vehicles already on the road. A standalone rearview mirror packing all of OnStar’s core technology will be available this spring through consumer electronics retailers, and is compatible with most top-selling vehicles from major manufacturers.

OnStar will offer the mirror in the United States through Best Buy, its first strategic retail partner, beginning in spring 2011. The product will also be available through other selected consumer electronics retailers. The mirror will be priced at $299, plus installation (expected to cost between $75 and $100). A range of service plans will be available, starting at $18.95 a month or $199 a year

Holy Crap!!

On a related note...OnStar is previewing an advanced In-Vehicle communications suite using the Verizon 4G network at the International Consumer Electronics Show. We're talking video-chat, live road conditions updates, voice-activated text messages, etc.....

[a_Username]

GM better be throwing cash at these guys to remain exclusive IMO.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by a_Username

GM better be throwing cash at these guys to remain exclusive IMO.

OnStar is a wholly-owned GM subsidiary. They approved the move.

Read the statement by the OnStar President in that article...is starts to make sense why they'd offer this new stand-alone mirror.

[a_Username]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

OnStar is a wholly-owned GM subsidiary. They approved the move.

Makes a little more sense now! I guess it could bring in some extra dough, but having OnStar as a safety feature was a good +1 against the competition, too.

[Sax1031]

does anyone but me think video chat in your car is not such a good thing?

if they add it would it only work with the car in park?

[FxsX24]

wish they would integrate it into the obdii system. for code reading, and maybe buying rights so they can do door unlocks,

actually cant they use the mirror as a transmitter that onstar can activate? which will unlock the doors from inside the car

[paulsandhu]

Great... here goes the chance of them getting 2010 vehicles to work with MyLink. Resources will be stretched thin!

On the plus side GM will have their product in a competing vehicles... OnStar in a Mustang? I wonder what the manufacturers will think of that.

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by paulsandhu

Great... here goes the chance of them getting 2010 vehicles to work with MyLink. Resources will be stretched thin!

On the plus side GM will have their product in a competing vehicles... OnStar in a Mustang? I wonder what the manufacturers will think of that.

But think about this: Who gets the money from the Mustang owner? GM, or Ford?

Answer: GM through OnStar subscription fees. It's a good move. What they should have done with Magnaride from Delphi instead of letting the Chinese buy it.

[Number 3]

Originally Posted by Zabo

But think about this: Who gets the money from the Mustang owner? GM, or Ford?

Answer: GM through OnStar subscription fees. It's a good move. What they should have done with Magnaride from Delphi instead of letting the Chinese buy it.

I'm not sure selling Delphi includes the patents and intellectual property rights. GM may have elected to keep those in the deal. But I haven't seen the details.

And also this isn't the first non-GM OnStar application. Lexus offered it for a while if I recall correctly as original equipment.

[LOWDOWN]

Originally Posted by Sax1031

does anyone but me think video chat in your car is not such a good thing?

if they add it would it only work with the car in park?

Texting, and cellphone use, and video-chat simply impair your attention while driving...ergo "impaired driving"...

Where will this all end?!

Is it too much to ask that people simply pay attention to their driving?

OnStar is a great service being provided, but the "add-ons" are literally "killer"...

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by LOWDOWN

OnStar is a great service being provided, but the "add-ons" are literally "killer"...

Only to people who can't handle them or are inherently irresponsible: It's important to know one's limits. That's all I'll say regarding this, however...since I have a feeling my opinion on the subject is shared by few.

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by Number 3

I'm not sure selling Delphi includes the patents and intellectual property rights. GM may have elected to keep those in the deal. But I haven't seen the details.

And also this isn't the first non-GM OnStar application. Lexus offered it for a while if I recall correctly as original equipment.

I sure as hell hope that were the case in the deal knowing the track record of the Chinese with property rights et all.

And the Lexus thing comes as a real surprise since I've never heard of it before. Is GM in an exclusive agreement with OnStar then or do/did they own/buy the company a while back?

EDIT: Wikipedia helped a bit

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.

In 1996, then GM North America Operations President Rick Wagoner officially launched OnStar at the Chicago Auto Show. OnStar delivered its first product and service to the market in 11 months, in the fall of 1996 for model year 1997 Cadillac DeVille, Cadillac Seville and Cadillac Eldorado models. For a short time, OnStar service was available on vehicles produced by Acura, Audi, Isuzu, Subaru and Volkswagen through a licensing agreement.

[Black GT]

ONSTAR is the only reason I still have that POS Yukon Denali sitting in my driveway, now soon to be gone.