Onstar

The auto world has been thinking a lot about hacking lately. For years, it wasn't much of a concern, but now that many new cars are connected to telematics networks like Uconnect and OnStar and to cellular networks via dongles attached to their onboard diagnostics ports, our rides are becoming...Read More»

A couple of weeks ago, two hackers made headlines when they wreaked havoc on a Jeep Grand Cherokee by exploiting a weakness in the vehicle's Uconnect telematics system. (Jeep's parent company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, subsequently issued a recall to patch the security hole.) But as we pointed...Read More»

General Motors' OnStar service debuted in 1996, just as cell phones were evolving from expensive, ugly, shoe-sized appliances into sleeker, trimmer accessories that could easily be stowed in a pocket or purse. OnStar's premise of embedding that kind of anytime, anywhere communications technology in...Read More»

Yesterday, we told you about some new features that will soon come to General Motors' OnStar, including predictive diagnostics and driving assessment. But as Steve Jobs used to say, there's one more thing: OnStar is also getting a shopping service that connects drivers with nearby deals, parking...Read More»

America's biggest auto event -- the North American International Auto Show, better known as the Detroit Auto Show -- kicks off in just a few days, but General Motors is getting a jump on the fun by announcing two upgrades to its onboard infotainment service, OnStar. The first of those upgrades lets...Read More»

General Motors [NYSE:GM] has announced at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that it will be installing high-speed 4G LTE data connections—including hot-spot capability—into the majority of its Chevy vehicles within the next year, with the rest of automaker's vehicle portfolio to...Read More»

We are rapidly approaching a new age -- one defined by the Internet of Things. If you aren't familiar with that term, don't worry: you'll hear it discussed ad nauseum very soon. It refers to a world filled with networked devices -- not just smartphones and tablets, but washing machines, eyeglasses...Read More»

Every so often, we have to do something unpleasant -- something much worse than cleaning up after sick kids or vacuuming under the fridge. We have to admit we were wrong. And so, to anyone at RelayRides who happens to be reading this post: we apologize. When your company debuted in 2011, we laughed...Read More»

When General Motors debuted OnStar in 1996, some folks weren't sure what to make of it. Sure, having an assistant on hand in case of an accident sounded like a good idea, but paying a monthly subscription seemed expensive. And what about privacy? How could users be sure they weren't being watched?...Read More»

General Motors has announced today that it will be moving a few optional extras over to the standard features list. When a customer takes delivery of a 2014 Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, or GMC vehicle, he or she will be able to sign up for a paid or trial version of the OnStar system. That system...Read More»

Here's a bit of good news related to Hurricane Sandy: Chevrolet has donated 50 Silverado pickups and Express cargo vans to the American Red Cross. They'll be used in relief efforts across the Eastern seaboard and in other areas affected by the storm. What's more: General Motors' OnStar unit is...Read More»

Today at High Gear Media, the OnStar mirror received an update and BMW launched new urban mobility apps. We spied the 2014 Volkswagen GTI and posted our video road test of the 2013 Scion FR-S. All this and more in today's car news, right here on The Car Connection. A new report indicates the 1994...Read More»

In America, we often believe that bigger is better. We don't eat hamburgers, we eat Whoppers and Quarter-Pounders. We don't sip sodas, we slug Big Gulps. And who's going to waste time on a home improvement show that doesn't feature an extreme makeover? With that in mind, the revamped OnStar buttons...Read More»

OnStar has been a game-changer in the automotive industry. Offering a range of features like emergency assistance, hands-free calling, and turn-by-turn navigation, OnStar brought the in-car concierge to a mass audience. In fact, OnStar has been so successful that, from May 6 through June 16...Read More»

Last summer, we told you about Family Link, a new service being tested for OnStar subscribers who want to track their vehicles from afar. Apparently, the test run was a smashing success, because the service is now being made available to all OnStar subscribers over the course of this year. Family...Read More»

Every year, thousands of drivers contact OnStar operators to let them know about other motorists involved in collisions, vehicle fires, and other dangerous situations. OnStar keeps track of these "Good Samaritan" acts, and recently the company ranked America's ten biggest metro areas, based on the...Read More»

Strapped for cash? Have a working car in the driveway? Now you can rent it out using RelayRides, anywhere in the U.S. We've talked about RelayRides before: it's a car-sharing start-up that allows folks with under-used wheels to loan them out to friends and strangers in exchange for cold, hard...Read More»

There we were, driving along in our 2012 Chevrolet Sonic test car, when it spoke to us. "You have an incoming call," it said. Which was startling, since our prehistoric, coal-powered mobile phone is incapable of pairing with anything beyond a headset. Ah, yes, right, it's the built-in OnStar...Read More»