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OnStar by GM Turns Ten Years Old


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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