On Star can slow down your vehicle?

[gtogene]

I am glad to see the product direction GM is taking. I own a 2004 GTO, and my father purchased a 2007 Lucerne. I eagerly await the next gen GTO ( NOT LIKELY ) and the Camaro. However today I saw an article on the local NBC affiliate that disturbs me. It showed how OnStar can by police request ( however the "simulation" did not involve the police ..)can diminish a car's performance down to a max of 10 mph in order to end a high speed chase. The article stated that it would be product starting the 2009 model year. I dont plan to have a high speed chase with my local police department, but I dont like the potential problems that could arise from hackers, mistakes in entering data to shut down a vehicle in the heat of a chase and the intrusion of privacy it affords. What is next? Late on registration fees or too many parking tickets and the local DMV can shut down your car. What about off highway use such as a dragstrip or roadcourse ? GM has a duty first to its customers and shareholders, and not law enforcement. Why not just at random call the police if "unsavory" conversations are heard in OnStar vehicles? If this is going to be on the Camaro, with a sad heart I will buy either a Mustang or Challenger...........

[AndrewGS]

Hackers? Honestly, OnStar is not Big Brother. If you don't want it just pull the fuse or special order OnStar delete like on the export cars. You'll be missing out on a great service though.

[Al465]

There's always an ignoramus who can make a bad thing out of a good thing!

[emh]

Late on registration fees or too many parking tickets and the local DMV can shut down your car.

Great idea! Time for those suckers to pay up!!

What about off highway use such as a dragstrip or roadcourse ?

What about this feature prevents you from off-highway use as long as the vehicle is not stolen?

[gn4u2c]

how about I just want the car 300.00 cheeper and you can just keep the onstar hardware and the 1 yr free service ??

[nsap]

It's not like they are going to use this unless your car was stolen. Do you talk on the phone any? Because I can tell you that your phone conversation can EASILY be heard by the right people. Same difference.

OnStar is the least of my concern. Some people make it out as a big-ass deal. I don't ever understand why. If it bothers you so much, special order your car without the hardwear (you can do that), but don't expect a drop in price...I think it is a no-cost option.

[mbukukanyau]

I think only the cars owner should be able to authorize such use of this device. If the Vehicles owner is try to get away from boys in blue, or Girls in Khakis like here is SoCal, they should be afforded the opportunity to do so

[tomcat_cool17]

Originally Posted by mbukukanyau

I think only the cars owner should be able to authorize such use of this device. If the Vehicles owner is try to get away from boys in blue, or Girls in Khakis like here is SoCal, they should be afforded the opportunity to do so

So you are authorizing them the chance to try to get away, but that also gives them the opportunity to crash and kill me, an innocent driver. I don't think so. They don't deserve to have the right to destroy my life just so they can get away.

[TuffG929]

They say that you will be able to have the dealer physically dissable that feature.

[Canyonaro]

I have heard about this, and have no problems with it. It's not like the Police or Big Brother are going to push the button to stop your car, it is Onstar that has to do it. They e-mail you a vehicle status (if you want) so whats the difference.

All this does is send a fuel cutoff signal, so in theory you coast to a stop once it is done.

[nailhead425]

Just pull the fuse if you don't want it. I'm not so sure I'd want it, but then again 10 years ago I thought cell phones were stupid and now I have two.

Folks should be more concerned about the EDRs and similar devices that can be used as evidence against you in a criminal case. Best plan is not to travel more than 20 mph over the speed limit, especially in-town. They can and will impound your car, especially in a fatal accident, and if you were going 20 mph over, you're going to jail. The 5th doesn't apply so be careful.

[auburnblu]

Amen. Will not buy another GM vehicle until this service is not forced. Tried to cancel the service today, nope OnStar told me only the dealership can cancel OnStar. Worst forced intrsuive service ever in a vehicle.

Originally Posted by gn4u2c

how about I just want the car 300.00 cheeper and you can just keep the onstar hardware and the 1 yr free service ??

[khefer]

Originally Posted by nailhead425

Folks should be more concerned about the EDRs and similar devices that can be used as evidence against you in a criminal case.

yeah, i just looked that up. most cars 2005 and after have these. guess the manufacturers slipped that under our noses.

[DMD]

Wow, to equate Onstar with being a big brother tool is completely off base. It is a tool for police to use in the event of a criminal act. Nothing more, nothing less. If GM were to use this device to help law enforcement catch people with expired registrations or other miniscule infraction that the ACLU IMHO (The ACLU is in my opinion one of the worst organzations known to mankind) would stop at nothing to do two things they would love to do. (1) embarrass and humiliate law enforcement (2) hurt, embarrass, and humiliate big business who came up with something they feel is infringing on peoples liberties.

You are more than welcome to go get something from the competition, I sure as hell aren't stopping you gtogene. I just think its sad you are so willing to think the absolute worst at this point in time. There is no evidence to support any unethical dealings between Onstar/GM corporate/ and law enforcement agencies anywhere in the US or anywhere else Onstar is able to be working in. Onstar or GM has never been involved in any operation where they worked together with law enforcement in going after ANY law abiding citizenry that might be guilty of extremely small infractions like an expired registration for example.

[PAULSTS1]

In a post months ago (Onstar and Vehicle tracking 2/24/08) I was personally villified for stating that OnStar had capabilities that could be used in a "black area." By this I mean, it could locate non-payers attempting to avoid repossession, and it could disable the car.

Technology has always been used against people, why all the surprise?