Monthly Archives: March 2012

OnStar Introduces Family Link


By Joanne Finnorn
OnStar Vice President
Subscriber Services

Last summer, OnStar began a pilot program for “Family Link” – an optional service aimed at keeping OnStar subscribers connected to their vehicles while loved ones were behind the wheel. This week, OnStar announced that beginning next month, Family Link will gradually be offered to all subscribers, as OnStar’s first a la carte service.

It’s no secret that new drivers can be distracted by the freedom of the open road, forgetting to check-in with those whose vehicular hospitality granted that freedom. Older drivers who still have the travel bug can often worry loved ones who are waiting to hear whether they made it to their destination safely. Continue reading →

Now Available: Chevy Sonic Turbo

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The Chevrolet Sonic’s short life has been one wild ride – how many other cars have gone bungee jumping, sky diving and kick flipping in their first year of release? Soon, stick-shy drivers who prefer earthbound excitement can now find it in the automatic turbocharged Sonic.

Once used mostly to enhance performance, today turbocharging is as much about fuel economy. Powered by a car’s own exhaust gasses, a turbocharger pressurizes the air passing into the engine, thereby increasing torque and providing a “boost” when accelerating. Continue reading →

The All-New Chevrolet Impala and Traverse

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Posted by the FastLane Team

The New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) is the last big hurrah of the auto show season, and Chevrolet plans to go out with a bang. Debuting at New York City’s Jacob Javits Center in April are the refined 2013 Chevrolet Traverse crossover and the highly anticipated, all-new 2014 Chevrolet Impala.

“Impala” and “all-new” may seem an odd juxtaposition to those who fondly recall one of the storied nameplate’s nine previous iterations. But the 2014 Impala repackages its distinct legacy in a fresh, full-size sedan, with a renewed focus on driving dynamics – the Impala rides on the same Epsilon-II architecture that underpins the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XTS. Continue reading →

Bringing Robotic Gloves to Life

By Kristopher Spencer
GM Advanced Tech Communications

It may not seem like robots and gloves have much in common, yet both have significantly improved daily workplace life. Robotics has revolutionized the way records are kept, medical operations are performed and, of course, the way cars are built. Likewise, think of all the professionals whose work would be considerably more difficult in absence of gloves: A baker removing a cake from the oven, a researcher handling noxious chemicals, or a detective gathering evidence.

With this in mind, General Motors and NASA sought to combine the power and precision of robotics with the versatility and safety of a glove in the Human Grasp Assist device. Known internally as the K-glove, or Robo-Glove, the project is an extension of GM and NASA’s Robonaut 2 project, which launched the first human-like robot (R2) into space in 2011. Continue reading →

Chevy Returns to SXSW 2012

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By Michael Albano
PR Director, Chevrolet

This spring, America’s hottest festival is SXSW – it has everything: Shiny Toy Guns on stage, “21 Jump Street” on screen, and a Texas-sized fleet of Chevys making life a little easier for the tens of thousands expected to take in Austin’s two-week celebration of music, film and interactive media.

Chevrolet returns to SXSW for the third year in a row starting today, again offering its “Catch A Chevy” shuttle service. A fleet of Cruze sedans and Equinox crossovers will provide continuous service each day of the festival. Vehicles can be hailed just like a taxi, or festival-goers can hop in at the “Catch A Chevy” stop outside the Austin Convention Center, where the SXSW Cruze and SXSW Equinox are available. Or, want to drive? You can also find “Drive A Chevy” in the same location where you can sign up for a Volt, Cruze, Camaro, Sonic, Corvette and new Malibu Eco test drive. Continue reading →