OnStar handles over 1 billion customer inquiries

OnStar already has over 1 billion customer inquiries that have interacted with the system by phone, mobile app, or in-vehicle mobile phone. Introduced almost 19 years ago as the first service in the automotive industry that can automatically emit a signal to help activate an airbag in a vehicle, today OnStar can remotely open doors, download route guidance directly to the on-board system, and compose and sending e-mails about the technical condition of the car.

At the moment, every two seconds, a customer around the world accesses the OnStar system. Thus, the total number of requests reaches about 5 million per month with a subscriber volume of more than 7 million. Add to that another 8.8 million interactions per month via the mobile app, and you realize just how convenient and important the OnStar system has become since its launch in 1996.

“OnStar created the Active Connected Vehicle prototype in 1996 and remains at the forefront of technological innovation to this day with services offered to Chevrolet (www.chevyman.ru/en), Buick, GMC, Cadillac and soon Opel worldwide. Alicia Bowler said. Davis: Senior Vice President, General Motors Global Connected Customer Experience. “The speed at which the service has reached 1 billion customer contacts is indicative of the exceptional demand for state-of-the-art automotive connectivity solutions, and there is no doubt that the next billion contacts will be registered even faster.”

The next generation Opel Astra, which will make its world premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (September 17-27), will be the first all-new Opel model available with OnStar. The system will also be available for ADAM, Cascada, Corsa, Insignia (specs), Meriva, Mokka and Zafira Tourer (description) models in certain markets. The first group of markets where Opel OnStar will be presented will include 13 European countries - Belgium, Germany, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland and Spain, which will be joined by other countries later. Customers will benefit from the full range of services offered by Opel OnStar, including a 24/7 emergency service.

Smartphone owners will be able to remotely connect to their car using a dedicated app. In addition, Opel OnStar will help car owners and the police in case of theft of cars with the system installed.

Opel OnStar will also provide its subscribers with a monthly e-mail newsletter containing the most important vehicle health information. In addition, the owner can request a diagnostic check at any time with the push of a button, giving users peace of mind before embarking on a long journey.

Opel OnStar subscribers in Europe will have full control over their personal data and the services they receive from Opel OnStar. Before activating the service, each user must agree to the terms of use of the system. In addition, users will be able to choose whether they want to reveal their current location - by simply clicking the "Privacy" button, their location will be hidden.

Here's what a billion interactions with the system look like, depending on the type of request:

• 5.5 million emergency services/calls completed.
• 156 million mobile application requests.
• Roadside assistance provided in more than 3.9 million cases.
• Over 390 million diagnostic bulletins issued.

The OnStar system has even helped carry the kids and is working with NORAD (North America's Central Space and Air Defense Command) to track Santa's gift sleigh on Christmas Eve.

Before the system became known as OnStar, the system's original name was Project Beacon. The main goal of the project was the integration of wireless communication in the car, many years before the mass penetration of smartphones.

In the fall of 1996, the OnStar system debuted in Cadillac DeVille, Seville, and Eldorado models. Initially, the range of services included airbag deployment notifications, which are at the heart of OnStar's safety measures, later evolved to automatic crash response using gravity sensors about an incident and notifying the OnStar emergency operator for assistance. Today, the OnStar system answers more than 100,000 emergency calls each month.