GM To Double Number Of Vehicles With OnStar

[nsap]

General Motors Corp. said Tuesday it will double the number of vehicles equipped with the OnStar in-vehicle communications system by 2006 because of customer demand.


The increase of OnStar-equipped GM vehicles will grow from 1.4 million in 2004 to 3 million in 2006, the company said. OnStar is factory-installed and currently available on more than 50 GM models, ranging from lower-priced vehicles such as the Chevrolet Cobalt to premium models from Cadillac.


"More and more consumers are telling us that air bag notification, emergency assistance, remote door unlock, stolen vehicle location assistance and remote vehicle diagnostics are key to their purchase decisions," said Gary Cowger, president of GM North America.


OnStar, which debuted in 1996, is standard on all vehicles from Cadillac and Hummer. As an option on other GM models, it costs $695, roughly $500 for the hardware and $200 for the first year's subscription fee, said OnStar spokesman Terry Sullivan.


After the first year, the subscription is $16.95 a month, Sullivan said. He noted the retention rate for service is more than 60 percent.


Each month OnStar receives about 11,000 emergency assistance calls. In addition, its advisers respond to roughly 600 stolen-vehicle requests, 19,000 calls for roadside assistance and 35,000 requests for remote door-unlock assistance.


OnStar is a GM subsidiary and also provides service for some models from Lexus, Acura, Audi, Saab, Subaru, Isuzu and Volkswagen.

Full Article

[dlr]

I liked this quote:

"General Motors Corp. said Tuesday it will double the number of vehicles equipped with the OnStar in-vehicle communications system by 2006 because of customer
demand."

I don't think it is because of customer demand. The reason is that GM either made it standard equipment (like on the 2005 LeSabre) or force you to order it (like on the 2005 TrailBlazer/Envoy).

How they force you on the 2005 TrailBlazer is packaging it with cruise control. Cruise is not standard anymore on the TrailBlazer. You can order it by itself for about $325 or so. You can order a package that includes Onstar and cruise control for $995 which then they give you a $900 option package discount making the net price $95. You would be crazy not to get the Onstar/cruise package for only $95 rather than just cruise for over $300.

[ponchoman49]

I find it real strange that demand has risen so much that it needs to be standard equipment. Most people I have talked with don't want it and it's yearly subscription so forcing it down our throats is suspicious. It has driven the base prices up on cars like the Impala and Monte carlo to almost $23k base and that was after they de-contented them for the 05 year. I would rather see ABS standard or the things they ripped off the Monte carlo to save money. I can see Onstar being standard on some of the higher end cars but putting it in the lower rental fleet darlings seems as though GM is catering to there needs and not ours. If I want Onstar I will pay for it as an option!

[pontiac is for me]

For what it's worth, I've owned several GM cars in the 1990's and never had OnStar. I can't WAIT until my next new car (probably an '06 or '07 RWD Pontiac Sedan) to get OnStar. I've been waiting for years to get it. I think it's the smartest thing (other than a $2000 NAV system) they've ever put in a car. I think it's one of those things (along with the NAV system, coincidentally), years from now, where we will wonder how we ever lived without it, like we do now when we think about before we had cell phones, the internet and when we had only 3 channels on TV.

[Tiger]

I love Onstar. When I woke up after a head on collision one night, it was telling me where I was and that help was on the way.

I locked my keys in my truck at a gas station. By the time I emerged from the bathroom my doors were unlocked!

If I forget my cellphone, I have a handsfree system in the car to use.

I believe it is a theft deterrent. B)

[paul8488]

Choice is nice. I don't care to pay for extra airbags or antilock brakes or heated seats or traction control or OnStar. I think Ponchoman is right... it makes more sense bundled in with higher-level cars, but making it standard or tied into other option packages in the lower-level vehicles makes is less appealing to some consumers.

[crazywop112]

Another cool thing about on star is you can use it to find your vehicle if it gets stolen.

[Smaart Aas Saabr]

and they can find your car at any time...

[nsap]

I just wish they would have kept OnStar a GM only feature <_< I think OnStar alone draws customers to GM...

[ssberlina]

This is interesting as Holden has just dropped its version of on star (holden Assist) as an option across the range. It is now only on the Caprice. I currently have it installed on the monaro and think it is great, but as I said on my next one it is now not even an option.

[ponchoman49]

And i'll never forget one of the rental companies a few years back who mailed a $500.00 speeding ticket to an unsuspecting customer cause Onstar tracked how fast they were going. The rental company never told the customer that they would have them spied on so I think they got off with the charge but it's scary that anyone with access to this can know what you are doing and where you are going anytime they want. I might have a suspicious mind but it does make you wonder.

[dlr]

Originally posted by ponchoman49@Sep 22 2004, 08:44 PM
And i'll never forget one of the rental companies a few years back who mailed a $500.00 speeding ticket to an unsuspecting customer cause Onstar tracked how fast they were going. The rental company never told the customer that they would have them spied on so I think they got off with the charge but it's scary that anyone with access to this can know what you are doing and where you are going anytime they want. I might have a suspicious mind but it does make you wonder.

They're not supposed to track speed unless the Police are involved. They can tell how fast you are going but if you give your car to your son and then call Onstar to see how fast he is going, they are not allowed to tell you.

Also they will only pinpoint the location with the police. You can't call to have your spoused tracked or anything like that.

[jphil]

Onstar should be like a motorcycle helmet; "Let those that ride - decide" / "Let those that buy - decide". If you want it pay for it, if you dont - dont let GM force you to buy it.

[jro4566]

Originally posted by ssberlina@Sep 22 2004, 03:43 PM
This is interesting as Holden has just dropped its version of on star (holden Assist) as an option across the range. It is now only on the Caprice. I currently have it installed on the monaro and think it is great, but as I said on my next one it is now not even an option.

No more Holden Assist!?! What happened???

Also I agree with you Nick, OnStar should've been a GM only thing and not be available on other cars like the upcoming RL...