Shanghai OnStar Announces Launch Date for Services in China

[TuffG929]

PRESS RELEASE
October 2009

• OnStar Goes Live in China in December 2009

• 14 Industry-Leading Services Introduced to China Market at Launch

• Expansion will make technology available to millions more customers

Shanghai – Shanghai OnStar Telematics Co. Ltd., a joint venture between OnStar, LLC, (a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors Company), Shanghai Automotive Industry Sales Co., Ltd (part of the SAIC Group) and Shanghai General Motors (SGM), today announced that OnStar services will be activated operational in China in December 2009. OnStar will be exclusively available on select Cadillac, Buick and Chevrolet vehicles – bringing this industry-leading technology to Chinese consumers.

“The launch of Shanghai OnStar Telematics marks OnStar’s first venture outside of North America and we couldn’t be happier that China is our next market,” said OnStar President Walt Dorfstatter. “China represents a huge opportunity to bring the safety, security, and peace of mind of OnStar to SGM customers. This new venture builds upon our leading position in the United States and Canada and our more than 14 years experience in the telematics industry.”

SGM will eventually make this service available on its full portfolio of products, beginning with Cadillac, then Buick and finally Chevrolet. SGM will provide one year of OnStar as standard to customers with OnStar equipped new vehicles. The service will be available throughout mainland China and will be first launched in Mandarin Chinese.

“I’m excited that SGM customers will be first to enjoy the safety and connectivity that OnStar provides.” said Ding Lei, President, Shanghai General Motors. “This underscores SGM’s customer focus and drive for technological progress. It also improves SGM’s products and services as well as market competitiveness. ”

OnStar will provide the following 14 services in China at launch:

· Automatic Crash Response
· Link to Emergency services
· Automatic Airbag Deployment Response
· OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics
· On Demand Diagnostics
· Good Samaritan
· Stolen Vehicle Location
· Remote Door Unlock
· Remote Horn and Lights
· Roadside Assistance
· Hands Free Calling
· Point of Interest
· Turn-by-Turn Navigation
· Destination Download

“Even though the OnStar system utilizes powerful and advanced technologies, it is simple and easy to use,” said Chen Hong, President, SAIC. “OnStar’s human connection makes it uniquely special and differentiates it from any other telematics services in the market. We are delighted to be able to offer this human touch to our Chinese customers.”

Additional information regarding OnStar vehicle availability and pricing in China will be announced later this year.



http://media.gm.com/content/media/us...ct/1029_onstar

[jlmartin99]

I have always been impressed with this advance technology from GM, one of its most powerful automotive designs of Telematics. I have yet to evaluate another luxury brand on the world stage that is as advance, feature rich and comprehensive as GM's OnStar.

I am curious, does any other auto brand offer Telematics in China as they do in the US?

JLM

[carbarrister]

I am curious, does any other auto brand offer Telematics in China as they do in the US?

The answer is "no".

[jlmartin99]

Originally Posted by carbarrister

I am curious, does any other auto brand offer Telematics in China as they do in the US?

The answer is "no".

carbarrister,

Thanks for the information.

JLM

[V8GMT360 Guy]

If anything, I'm surprised that it's taken this long for GM to get OnStar into China... but I'm glad it's happening. Considering the magnitude of the auto market there and the number of GM vehicles (mostly Buicks) they're selling there, it will do nothing but good for their business.

[Evo69]

Wow this is going to be H U G E for GM. Win win for GM in China.

[AMERICA 123]

Yes it is.

Assuming the pricing makes sense, they'll eventually do as much or more with it there as anywhere else.

Probably fairly quickly at that.

[gopedxr7]

one day onstar will be like skynet in the terminator and take over our cars as we drive them and lock us in and drive us all off a cliff. onstar is now online in another country. haha, thats just me being paranoid.

Alan

[ohmywrd8]

Good for China! I think this will be great for them especially since GM already has a pretty good rep over there.

[Rick_VT]

Originally Posted by gopedxr7

one day onstar will be like skynet in the terminator and take over our cars as we drive them and lock us in and drive us all off a cliff. onstar is now online in another country. haha, thats just me being paranoid.

Alan

Well maybe they can configure it to steal Chinese technology instead of the other way round

[skylark68]

Originally Posted by gopedxr7

one day onstar will be like skynet in the terminator and take over our cars as we drive them and lock us in and drive us all off a cliff. onstar is now online in another country. haha, thats just me being paranoid.

Alan

I could see a sequel to Terminator with Kyle Reese disabling the Onstar function in a GM car. "Onstar...That's what it does! It's *all* it does! You can't stop it!"