Nearly 4 million GM customers receive value and benefits
from
OnStar safety, security and peace of mind services
DETROIT
- Since
beginning operations in 1995, OnStar by GM has grown to
become the nation's leading provider of in-vehicle safety,
security and communications services using wireless and
Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite technology. Throughout
the past ten years, OnStar has continually evolved, providing
its nearly 4 million subscribers with the industry's most
comprehensive in-vehicle safety and security system.
On
average each month, OnStar advisors respond to more than
383,000 routing calls, 43,000 remote door unlocks, 23,000
roadside assistance calls, 27,000 remote vehicle diagnostic
checks, more than 400 stolen vehicle location assistance
requests, 900 air bag deployment notifications, 15,000 emergency
service requests, and 5,000 Good Samaritan calls.
Representing
OnStar's commitment to increase value for its subscribers,
OnStar has launched six versions of hardware during its
ten year history. An important milestone for both GM and
OnStar came in 1996 when OnStar debuted exclusively on 1997
model year Cadillacs. Earlier this year, GM announced OnStar
service will become standard on all General Motors retail
vehicles, reinforcing GM's Total Value Promise to its customers.
ORGANIZATIONAL
HIGHLIGHTS
Over the past ten years, OnStar has had over 53 million
subscriber interactions including more than 12 million routing
requests, 1.25 million door unlock requests, 750,000 Roadside
Assistance requests and 25,000 air bag deployment notifications.
Technology
Leadership
Another significant accomplishment and important industry
first for GM and OnStar was the introduction in 2004 of
GM's Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN) system
debuting on the Chevy Malibu. The AACN system incorporates
a series of strategically located sensors that automatically
call OnStar if the vehicle is involved in a moderate to
severe frontal, rear or side-impact collision, providing
crash severity information to OnStar call center advisors.
Each month, OnStar advisors respond to about 140 AACN system
calls. In 2006, GM will have 24 vehicles equipped with AACN
capability.
OnStar
also offers a fully integrated, hands-free wireless calling
service that allows subscribers to use their OnStar system
to safely and conveniently make and receive wireless calls
in a hands-free, voice-activated manner. OnStar Hands-Free
Calling provides a safe in-vehicle alternative to allow
driving with hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. OnStar
Hands-Free Calling launched in October 2000 and more than
630 million minutes have been sold to subscribers.
Leadership
Awards
OnStar has received a number of significant industry awards
for outstanding use of technology and service performance.
In 1996, OnStar won the coveted Computerworld Smithsonian
Award for its innovative application of automotive industry
technology which changed the driving experience forever.
That same year, the editors of Popular Science magazine
(which annually reviews thousands of new products, technology
developments and scientific achievements) selected OnStar
to receive an award of distinction as one of the 100 "Best
of What's New" innovations for 1996.
OnStar
received the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet
Association's (CTIA) first Future Vision Award for great
strides in the areas of data products, software products
and end-user applications. OnStar employees were honored
in 1999 with the General Motors Boss Kettering Award for
the first implementation of a national wireless network
using a non-geographic area code (500) to deliver OnStar
mobile communication services. The next year, OnStar was
named among the 'Web Smart 50' in the 2000 e-biz special
report in BusinessWeek. The publication recognized 50 of
the world's leading companies that were harnessing the power
of the Web to create real-life, innovative products and
services that foster revenue and growth, taking new approaches
to changing the way global businesses operate.
The
Telematics industry has honored OnStar for its outstanding
performance and leadership. The ComCARE Alliance and Telematics
Update magazine honored OnStar at the 2003 Telematics Update
Awards banquet for Telematics Industry Leadership; Telematics
in Action; and the Heroes award for call center advisors.
In
2004, Good Housekeeping Institute (GHI) awarded OnStar with
the "Good Buy" Award making it the first time
any automotive product or service has been an award winner
since the "Good Buy" award program began ten years
earlier and OnStar is the first every winner of a "Good
Buy" award in the "service" category.
This
year, OnStar received the coveted 21st Century Achievement
Award from the Computerworld Honors Program for its AACN
system and visionary use of information technology in the
Transportation category and in June, OnStar captured three
Telematics Update Awards, making it the only multiple winner
in the 2005 judging and an eight-time winner in the award's
three-year history.
Strategic
Alliances
Since its earliest days, OnStar has worked with leading
public safety and emergency medical organizations including
the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials
(APCO); the National Emergency Number Association (NENA)
and the National Association of EMS Physicians. These efforts
are aimed at insuring that public safety receives all essential
information to respond to emergencies whether they involve
OnStar subscribers or are reported by OnStar subscribers
acting as Good Samaritans.
OnStar
is proud of is its relationship with the National Center
for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). Providing
the largest mobile fleet of Good Samaritans on the road,
OnStar uses GPS satellite, wireless technologies and the
expertise of its call center advisors to help find missing
children. Any OnStar subscriber who wants to report information
related to an AMBER Alert, missing or lost child can press
the red OnStar emergency button in his or her vehicle. Immediately,
the subscriber will be connected with an OnStar advisor
who will expedite the call to one of the nation's 6,000
emergency service centers.
OnStar
is also a member of the ComCARE (Communications for Coordinated
Assistance and Response to Emergencies) Alliance, which
is a coalition of more than 100 organizations who work to
encourage the development and deployment of life saving
communications technologies that will enhance America's
emergency response capabilities.
In
2004, OnStar partnered with Verizon Wireless to provide
the America's Choice Plan with OnStar, a FamilyShare plan
that allows Verizon Wireless customers to add their vehicle
to an existing line of service and share Verizon Wireless
plan minutes with their vehicle. OnStar will be fully digital
in all GM model year 2006 vehicles, expanding vehicle availability
for the digital hand set program. America's Choice Plan
with OnStar is available in all Verizon Wireless digital
markets.
OnStar
recently joined with America's Most Wanted in an effort
to portray ordinary persons and, with the help of OnStar,
their extraordinary life situations. The OnStar "Call
to Action" segment featured on America's Most Wanted
programming depicts OnStar Good Samaritans who have assisted
with finding missing or lost children, reporting accidents,
locating stolen vehicles and capturing criminals. OnStar
regularly assists law enforcement in locating subscribers'
stolen vehicles and in doing so, has helped police find
criminals involved in auto-theft rings, carjackings, drug
trafficking and robberies.
OnStar
will support an important regional readiness exercise to
be held September 7-11, 2005 in Moundsville, West Virginia.
Mock Disaster 2005 will allow OnStar to cooperate with emergency
service providers under a variety of realistic scenarios
to validate protocols and enhance relationships. OnStar's
involvement will feature a Good Samaritan call, routing
support around a hazardous material spillage, Advanced Automatic
Crash Notification and a request by law enforcement personnel
for a stolen vehicle's location.
Accomplishments
in Advertising
Throughout the decade, OnStar has executed award-winning
advertising campaigns to effectively communicate the distinct
services provided to consumers in successfully building
the OnStar brand and defining its unique and relevant customer
services.
Today's
"real stories" campaign, launched in 2002, uses
actual subscriber stories in the subscribers' own voices
to share their life-changing experiences. This award-winning
campaign conveys the importance and real benefits of OnStar
services through the eyes of actual subscribers.
In
2005, the OnStar brand reached 100% brand awareness among
new vehicle intenders and over 80% of current subscribers
prefer or will only consider vehicles with OnStar for their
next purchase or lease.
Command
Center
OnStar by GM recently unveiled its newly designed Command
Center, the nerve center for OnStar service to its subscribers.
The OnStar Command Center monitors performance of the OnStar
call centers; critical communications and operating system
infrastructures; and provides comprehensive information
based on severe weather conditions and national news.
Within the Command Center is the OnStar Sound Studio, a
new state-of-the-art digital broadcast studio to support
a variety of communications initiatives. In the past four
months, nearly 20 guest DJ's, ranging from local on-air
personalities to nationally syndicated talent, have broadcast
from the OnStar Sound Studio. The new facility complements
the relocation of OnStar headquarter operation to the GM
world headquarters at Renaissance Center in Detroit.
About
OnStar
OnStar, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, is
the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and
communication services using wireless technology and the
Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite network. OnStar
is available on more than 50 GM models for 2005. Over the
next few years, OnStar service will be a standard feature
for GM's retail customers in the United States and Canada,
covering all segments and prices except for some commercial
vehicles. OnStar safety and security services include automatic
notification of air bag deployment, stolen vehicle location
assistance, emergency services, roadside assistance, remote
door unlock, and GM Goodwrench remote vehicle diagnostics.
OnStar Hands-Free Calling allows drivers to make and receive
hands-free, voice-activated calls from their vehicle. More
information about OnStar can be found at www.OnStar.com.
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