GM adds Turn-by-Turn Navigation to Onstar
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GM adds Turn-by-Turn Navigation to Onstar
GM beefs up its Onstar package - - Brett Clanton / The Detroit News - - Source: http://www.detnews.com
General Motors Corp. plans a new version of its OnStar driver-support service that it hopes will give carbuyers another reason to put a GM car or truck on their shopping lists.
OnStar will begin offering a new feature called Turn-by-Turn Navigation, which uses automated voice prompts to guide drivers to their destinations and builds on other safety and communication services already packaged with OnStar.
The service is the first of its kind in the market and appears to be an answer to complaints about in-dash mapping systems that are sometimes distracting and confusing to operate.
"We take the simple part of our brand very seriously," OnStar President Chet Huber said in an interview. "We don't have any interest in being a company that requires you to take five steps to program one of our services."
The Turn-by-Turn feature is part of a seventh-generation overhaul of OnStar, which debuted at the Chicago Auto Show in 1996 and will return there this week to celebrate its tenth anniversary.
It will be introduced this spring on the 2006 Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS and Cadillac STS and be phased in on other GM vehicle models over the next two years.
GM is looking to OnStar to set its vehicles apart in a crowded market. While luxury auto brands Mercedes-Benz and Lexus have similar services, GM has pledged to make OnStar available on every vehicle by the end of 2007.
GM is also adding features to OnStar to ensure it remains relevant to consumers who are becoming more tech-savvy. Late last year, for instance, OnStar began offering a vehicle diagnostic service that runs remote check-ups on a subscriber's car or truck each month and e-mails the customer a report with its findings.
Other standard features such as remote door unlock, stolen vehicle assistance and notification of airbag deployment to medical institutions have helped OnStar gain 4 million subscribers since its launch.
Despite its successes, OnStar must be careful to nurture its growth carefully as it builds on its core lineup of services, said Jim Sanfilippo, industry analyst with AMCI Inc. in Detroit.
"The challenge is that the technology is starting to go really fast," he said. "And like anything, they will need to explain it."
To that end, OnStar began running new ads last month pitching its new vehicle diagnostic system, and it is planning a marketing launch for the Turn-by-Turn system in March.
OnStar, part of collaboration between GM, EDS and Hughes Electronics Corp., started as in-vehicle communication services company with around-the-clock operator assistance. In 1999, it became a wholly-owned subsidiary of GM.
OnStar will begin offering a new feature called Turn-by-Turn Navigation, which uses automated voice prompts to guide drivers to their destinations and builds on other safety and communication services already packaged with OnStar.
The service is the first of its kind in the market and appears to be an answer to complaints about in-dash mapping systems that are sometimes distracting and confusing to operate.
"We take the simple part of our brand very seriously," OnStar President Chet Huber said in an interview. "We don't have any interest in being a company that requires you to take five steps to program one of our services."
The Turn-by-Turn feature is part of a seventh-generation overhaul of OnStar, which debuted at the Chicago Auto Show in 1996 and will return there this week to celebrate its tenth anniversary.
It will be introduced this spring on the 2006 Buick Lucerne, Cadillac DTS and Cadillac STS and be phased in on other GM vehicle models over the next two years.
GM is looking to OnStar to set its vehicles apart in a crowded market. While luxury auto brands Mercedes-Benz and Lexus have similar services, GM has pledged to make OnStar available on every vehicle by the end of 2007.
GM is also adding features to OnStar to ensure it remains relevant to consumers who are becoming more tech-savvy. Late last year, for instance, OnStar began offering a vehicle diagnostic service that runs remote check-ups on a subscriber's car or truck each month and e-mails the customer a report with its findings.
Other standard features such as remote door unlock, stolen vehicle assistance and notification of airbag deployment to medical institutions have helped OnStar gain 4 million subscribers since its launch.
Despite its successes, OnStar must be careful to nurture its growth carefully as it builds on its core lineup of services, said Jim Sanfilippo, industry analyst with AMCI Inc. in Detroit.
"The challenge is that the technology is starting to go really fast," he said. "And like anything, they will need to explain it."
To that end, OnStar began running new ads last month pitching its new vehicle diagnostic system, and it is planning a marketing launch for the Turn-by-Turn system in March.
OnStar, part of collaboration between GM, EDS and Hughes Electronics Corp., started as in-vehicle communication services company with around-the-clock operator assistance. In 1999, it became a wholly-owned subsidiary of GM.
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I guess you call up the onstar operator, tell her/him where you want to go (they already know where you are...SCARY!) and they program a nav system at onstar-headquarters for you. Then it gives you voice prompts every once in awhile depending on where you are on your trip.
It's probably like if you are driving and have a passenger...you tell him/her to punch in a destination in the nav for you.
I don't have onstar and wouldn't pay for it if the car was equipped with it.
Leave it to GM to find a way to charge you for using a navigation feature. They might even lower the number of cars they produce equipped with navi...then tell buyers "you don't need it! you got onstar!" but then forget to tell you that you have to pay a subscription fee to keep your "RENT-A-NAVI".
I have another idea for GM's onstar service...instead of requiring drivers push a button or turn a dial to operate the radio, it can be done over Onstar! Charge 1.99 extra per month on top of the regular price for this feature!
It's probably like if you are driving and have a passenger...you tell him/her to punch in a destination in the nav for you.
I don't have onstar and wouldn't pay for it if the car was equipped with it.
Leave it to GM to find a way to charge you for using a navigation feature. They might even lower the number of cars they produce equipped with navi...then tell buyers "you don't need it! you got onstar!" but then forget to tell you that you have to pay a subscription fee to keep your "RENT-A-NAVI".
I have another idea for GM's onstar service...instead of requiring drivers push a button or turn a dial to operate the radio, it can be done over Onstar! Charge 1.99 extra per month on top of the regular price for this feature!
Last edited by mrdeeno; 02-07-2006 at 01:16 PM.
#4
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Originally Posted by mrdeeno
I guess you call up the onstar operator, tell her/him where you want to go (they already know where you are...SCARY!) and they program a nav system at onstar-headquarters for you. Then it gives you voice prompts every once in awhile depending on where you are on your trip.
It's probably like if you are driving and have a passenger...you tell him/her to punch in a destination in the nav for you.
I don't have onstar and wouldn't pay for it if the car was equipped with it.
Leave it to GM to find a way to charge you for using a navigation feature. They might even lower the number of cars they produce equipped with navi...then tell buyers "you don't need it! you got onstar!" but then forget to tell you that you have to pay a subscription fee to keep your "RENT-A-NAVI".
I have another idea for GM's onstar service...instead of requiring drivers push a button or turn a dial to operate the radio, it can be done over Onstar! Charge 1.99 extra per month on top of the regular price for this feature!
It's probably like if you are driving and have a passenger...you tell him/her to punch in a destination in the nav for you.
I don't have onstar and wouldn't pay for it if the car was equipped with it.
Leave it to GM to find a way to charge you for using a navigation feature. They might even lower the number of cars they produce equipped with navi...then tell buyers "you don't need it! you got onstar!" but then forget to tell you that you have to pay a subscription fee to keep your "RENT-A-NAVI".
I have another idea for GM's onstar service...instead of requiring drivers push a button or turn a dial to operate the radio, it can be done over Onstar! Charge 1.99 extra per month on top of the regular price for this feature!
$35/mo for premium Onstar = 57 months of service for the price of Navi.
That's 5 YEARS for the premium flavor. Explain to me again how this is a ripoff?
#6
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Originally Posted by fast-tl
Uh, cause Navi doesn't "run out" if you stop paying the fee? Once you have Navi, you have it.
I don't. I keep it about 3 years. This solution is cheaper.
#7
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Originally Posted by charliemike
$17/mo for basic Onstar = 117 months of service for the price of Navi.
$35/mo for premium Onstar = 57 months of service for the price of Navi.
That's 5 YEARS for the premium flavor. Explain to me again how this is a ripoff?
$35/mo for premium Onstar = 57 months of service for the price of Navi.
That's 5 YEARS for the premium flavor. Explain to me again how this is a ripoff?
Never got stranded.
Never got into an accident when the airbag went off.
Never locked my keys in the car
never had to do a "diagnostic" on my car remotely.
Never had to call anyone to recommend a good restaurant
never TOO STUPID to forget to fill up my gas tank 'cuz it was too low
further i have bluetooth, don't need handsfree callling
I have a keyfob to honk my horns to locate the car...don't need onstar to do it for me.
I don't need local weather/traffic/stock quotes while i'm driving
a bartender can call a taxi for me...don't need onstar to do it.
The one time I could've used them (when my CL-s was stolen), I wouldn't have used them anyway. The car was stolen and I'd rather have the cops find (or not) it and then have insurance take care of me.
I don't know how long onstar's been around, but let's say since I started drivig...
12 years of driving and NOT using onstar, I saved myself $1428.00...money that was more useful spent on beer. And i don't feel like I missed out on any of its services.
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#8
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Originally Posted by charliemike
Do you keep a car for more than 5 years?
I don't. I keep it about 3 years. This solution is cheaper.
I don't. I keep it about 3 years. This solution is cheaper.
so you're saying you wouldn't buy a car with a navigation system since onstar is now a substitute for it?
#9
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Originally Posted by mrdeeno
over 12 years of driving, I've never had AAA, never had onstar.
Never got stranded.
Never got into an accident when the airbag went off.
Never locked my keys in the car
never had to do a "diagnostic" on my car remotely.
Never had to call anyone to recommend a good restaurant
never TOO STUPID to forget to fill up my gas tank 'cuz it was too low
further i have bluetooth, don't need handsfree callling
I have a keyfob to honk my horns to locate the car...don't need onstar to do it for me.
I don't need local weather/traffic/stock quotes while i'm driving
a bartender can call a taxi for me...don't need onstar to do it.
The one time I could've used them (when my CL-s was stolen), I wouldn't have used them anyway. The car was stolen and I'd rather have the cops find (or not) it and then have insurance take care of me.
I don't know how long onstar's been around, but let's say since I started drivig...
12 years of driving and NOT using onstar, I saved myself $1428.00...money that was more useful spent on beer. And i don't feel like I missed out on any of its services.
Never got stranded.
Never got into an accident when the airbag went off.
Never locked my keys in the car
never had to do a "diagnostic" on my car remotely.
Never had to call anyone to recommend a good restaurant
never TOO STUPID to forget to fill up my gas tank 'cuz it was too low
further i have bluetooth, don't need handsfree callling
I have a keyfob to honk my horns to locate the car...don't need onstar to do it for me.
I don't need local weather/traffic/stock quotes while i'm driving
a bartender can call a taxi for me...don't need onstar to do it.
The one time I could've used them (when my CL-s was stolen), I wouldn't have used them anyway. The car was stolen and I'd rather have the cops find (or not) it and then have insurance take care of me.
I don't know how long onstar's been around, but let's say since I started drivig...
12 years of driving and NOT using onstar, I saved myself $1428.00...money that was more useful spent on beer. And i don't feel like I missed out on any of its services.
#11
Suzuka Master
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Originally Posted by SSMTL01
I dont understand the difference between this and the 2001 acura navi? My car tells me turn by turn
Then at the end of every year, send me the bottle.
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Originally Posted by charliemike
That's great. And that's just you
You said:
Originally Posted by charliemike
Explain to me again how this is a ripoff?
Any way to prevent GM from taking my money is GGRREEAATT!!!
#13
I love cars!
Originally Posted by SSMTL01
I dont understand the difference between this and the 2001 acura navi? My car tells me turn by turn
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