Podcast: OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation
FastLane Radio host Bill Betts, the GM Communications web services manager, interviews Chet Huber, president of OnStar, about OnStar’s new Turn-by-Turn Navigation service. It works like this: when a subscriber asks an OnStar advisor for directions, the advisor sends directions to the vehicle. The automated service verbally directs the motorist to the destination turn by turn. Huber also discusses how OnStar creates new services for each generation of hardware. OnStar’s Turn-by-Turn Navigation will debut on the 2006 Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS in March and the Cadillac STS in the second quarter.
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Good idea. Will GM stop offering traditional NAV systems? I’ve never wanted a NAV system but the On Star NAV service might be for me. Would like to see an option to pay per use.
The proposed price seems high for the average person, retired and will use occasionally.
Where’s the gee-wizz I got a neat navigation screen effect? What is great about a navigation screen is you can see beyond the road, far down the road and see even the back roads. The navigation system is handy not just when you’re lost but when you want to explore a new route.
If I was lost the on-star is better, but for day to day commutes and to show off I think a navigation screen is…well…gee-wizz.
So I know my brakes need work, now the onstar folks are e-mailing me. You know where my car is, so when are you going to send somebody from Mr. Goodwrench to fix it because I don’t have spare time?
Onstar, keep up the good work I think this service will be an indespensible advantage when the complex hybrid and hydrogen systems are added to cars in the future.
Everytime someone locks their keys in the car (or their baby) you folks are the first thing we think about.
Speaking of hybrid, hydrogen and technology don’t forget it is still how you package it and design it. What propels the Prius is more than the hybrid drive train, it is also design.
You can’t just drop a hybrid in a Hyundai and expect it to sell like a Prius. Prius has got a gee-wizz design. If you think it’s only about the hybrid or the propulsion system alone, I got a mountain of scrap metal to show you that used to be electric cars.
In short, if you TRULY want to compete with the Prius give Lutz a napkin because it starts with design. What good is a technological edge without a design edge?
Design is still the fuel that propels the consumer.
Still, the future is going to demand both so continue pushing the envelope.
By the way, did you say the number of subscribers was growing by about 5,000 a day?
AOL would die for those kind of numbers. That is awesome.
Keep going, this service is going to be indispensible. So I would imagine the half billion in new revenue is mostly profit.
After launching Hughes, EDS, Direct TV, and now Onstar there is amazing talent at your company, I hope you will keep this business, and keep it growing.
Clearly, these are all fake postings. You’d think that GM could find something better to do with their time, like spending the money they are apparently pumping into paying fake posters into product design.
Yeah I’m part of the ahhh….Buick Brown nose Betterment Society, branch of the GM insolvency prevention, rapid response and rebuttal forum. Part of the exclusive GM Community Involvement and Interaction Board.
That’s part of the GM seeds for a better tomorrow action network, the anti knee jerk reaction counsel, a greater GM governance group.
No really I just couldn’t think of anything to disagree with about On-star, you can disagree about my sincerity but I think we all can agree that is pretty cynical.
Perhaps one day my friend, perhaps.
Now this is my third post but I had to respond and of course something for GM’s edification…
So does Onstar have a mission statement like Cadillac’s to be the “Standard of the World.” It’s a little different than a tag line “Break Through” in that it is meant to guide the staff. So what is yours?
In fact every GM division and markee should have a mission statement, a guiding principle to make sure everyone is on the same path.
So I was thinking Buicks for example should be “The #1 preferred premium family vehicle worldwide.”
I thought of this when I found the top of the line Acura (RL I think) is twice as much as the $25,000 Buick Lucerne. Ouch. So Buick is “The family luxury car the family can afford.”
So you get the image here that luxury cars are like fine China you leave in the armoire that is too expensive for daily use. Even on special occasions it just sits there. Well Buick is not that, it is useful luxury. That would be a great idea for a commercial. Here is another one.
This is for the Buick 8 high roof heritage sedan. A couple walks out to the garage ready to go somewhere. They open their garage and they see an exotic sports car (Lambourgini or Corvette) and an empty parking space beside it.
The couple all of a sudden gets totally upset, “oh no”, “how could he”, “No,no, why?”
So they get in the car and still upset the lady says “Remind me to take our spare Buick keys from our son.”
So the idea is Buick is made to be the family car but it appeals to every generation.
So you see, when you love something the ideas should just flow and my mission is to make sure we and America fall back in love with Buick and GM.
This new system sound cool but why not put GM’s money into much more needed divisions:
Why not a Caddilac small coupe to compete with the 3-series coupe, G35, CLK & SLK, Nissan Z, ect…
How about putting a better engine in the equinox type SUV’s like the 3800 series, or if that wont fit I would love to see the 3400 series DOHC be revived. I’ve read that in R&D they were making in excess of 290 hp but at the time the transmssions couldnt handle it.
I like that GM isnt getting caught up too much in the Hybrid fad. I am one of the few people that see the little benifiet of hybrids and seeing the potential of FlexFuel technologies.
I dont understand why (so far) every Chevrolet GMT900 series truck looks the same again! At least before the avalsnche had a different front end look, but now they are all identical. I wouldent want to own a truch that tooks the same as every other SUV I see on the road, also the more people see the design, no matter how new it is, the sooner they will get bored and unexcited by the “All New Tahoe”
I love the direction GM is going with cars like the Solstice GXP, and Camaro, so keep them coming, but dont forget to fix what you already have.
Jake,
Dear Mr. Lutz,
In reviewing the comments from others posted in your blog, I can’t help but see a great deal of good will behind most of them.We, & maybe even you, have been so conditioned over the last couple of years by all of the bad news surrounding General Motors in the press -I for one, am heartened by all of those who are taking the time to give you their opinion about what to build, how to market it, how to sell it and so forth.
A lot of people, myself included, want to see GM turn itself around and produce the best vehicles in the marketplace, just like it once did.
We CAN see a difference in the new models that you’ve brought to market in the last few years: Corvette,Impala, HHR, Solstice, G6, GTO, Lucerne,CTS and STS are solid, relevant and exciting new products for today’s marketplace. Your enthusiast’s touch shows in these vehicles.
Upcoming hydrids and ethanol vehicles are a great beginning at addressing our energy problems. Don’t mean to gush – but thanks for bringing some cars to market that GM and all of us can be proud of again. Hang in there and keep doing what your doing on the product front. As you know, perception always lags behind reality. It took 20 years for GM to tarnish it’s reputation, so it may take a couple more to turn it around. We’re pulling for you.
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Great reading, keep up the great posts.
Peace, JiggaDigga
Thank you GM for coming out with the 5 year or 100,000 mile warranty on your vehicles. The major component coverage will allow us consumers to feel a little better about our purchases.
I recently got a 2009 HHR with “free” On Star for a year. I tried using OnStar’s navigation system. I do not like driving on highways nor on toll roads, so I asked for directions to the town I was going and said to avoid highways and toll roads. I got dorections that said to go to the Garden State Parkway, which is both a highway and a toll road! I called OnStar to complain and they said that they would said my cocnrns to customer care.
I then tried enav- but first I had to sign up for a one year subcription! After 48 hours my enav started “working”. I went to Mapquest and planned my route. Then I saved the directions. Then I sent them to OnStar. Then I tried them out.
Much to my disgust, the directions that I created were completly ignored. They tried to send me back to the Parkway. I again called to complain. This time I got a young female who proceeded to tell me that “they couldn’t formulate directions just for me!” I told her I wanted to cancel my susbscription and, after being put on hold for what seemed like a lifetime, she came back and told me I would have to call back. I asked her how long I would have to wait before I called back, I was told I could call back right away! I did and had very little problem cancelling my subscription. I printed out the map I had created and went back to carrying loose pieces of paper around with me!