Big Brother Tracking Our Every Move By Vehicle and Public Transit

Road taxes can be easily collected by mandating the use of "OnStar GPS Technology" (a General Motors Technology). It probably also can include electronically-collecting tolls for bridges and roads. OnStar tracks where a car is at any given moment and records that info on its servers. This can be rolled out all across the country to provide complete access and eliminate paying any gas tax while traveling by using OnStar-produced monthly statements of daily mileage driven and other information. State governments have to band together with Onstar to make this happen. The billing and data collection is already in place. - Bruce Barnes, Mileage tax won't catch all road users, April 3, 2010

Get OnStar in Any Car With Retail Rearview Mirror

January 5, 2011

Switched - After almost 15 years of keeping OnStar exclusive to its own vehicles, GM is finally making the service available as an after-market add-on for other cars. The OnStar mirror should be compatible with most cars on the market when it comes out this spring for $299. On top of the retail price, you'll also have to cough up for an OnStar subscription ($18.95 per month or $199 for the year), and pay for installation (which will likely be performed by Best Buy, which just has a stellar track record).

While you'll be able to call OnStar operators for help or to track a stolen vehicle, you'll be missing out on some of the more advanced features, like remote door unlocking (in case you leave your keys in the car). The OnStar mirror does have Bluetooth, though, and can act as a hands-free speakerphone.

With more people toting smartphones packed with GPS receivers, it's harder and harder to make the case for OnStar. The biggest selling point of the original service has been the tight integration with GM vehicles, which allows for remote door opening and car diagnostics, but the retail version of the product won't be able to offer such features. If you happen to be a fan of OnStar service -- but not GM cars -- this might appeal to you, but we doubt it will suddenly double OnStar's subscriber base.

OnStar Expands Beyond GM to Any Car for $299

January 4, 2011

Jalopnik - Starting this spring, OnStar will begin selling — for $299 — "Anywhere," a standalone rearview mirror compatible with most top-selling vehicles that allows access to much of OnStar's services. Yup, it's OnStar-to-go. This may be the coolest safety-and-security gadget ever.

Basically, OnStar Anywhere is a rearview mirror — approximately the same size as your current one — that will replace your manufacturer-provided mirror. It will be available in the U.S. in spring 2011 for $299. Although that'll be closer to $400 once you factor in the cost of installation expected to run somewhere between $75 and $100 from Best Buy and other selected consumer electronics retailers.

Like OnStar now, there's a range of service plans available starting at $18.95 a month or $199 a year.

Also, like OnStar, the services that this new mirror will provide include:

Automatic Crash Response: There's an accelerometer built into the mirror that detects the sudden shock of an impact from the front, side or rear of the vehicle — and automatically calls an OnStar advisor.

Emergency Services: Pressing OnStar's red emergency button links customers to a specially trained emergency advisor for assistance in situations occurring inside or outside of their vehicle.

Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance: OnStar will tell law enforcement where it is if you report it as being stolen.

Turn-by-Turn Navigation: Downloadable spoken turn-by-turn directions for reaching customers destinations.

Roadside Assistance: In non-emergency situations, drivers can push the blue button to help with problems like a flat tire or running out of gas.

Hands-Free Calling: Hands-free, voice-activated calls through a Bluetooth connection to the driver's mobile phone or through prepaid packages of minutes purchased through OnStar.

Basically, it'll do all of the things I want my mom's car to do, except now she doesn't need a GM vehicle to do it!*

This isn't the first foray for OnStar into the world of non-GM vehicles. For a short time, OnStar service was available on vehicles produced by Acura, Audi, Isuzu, Subaru and Volkswagen through a licensing agreement. But this goes beyond that — and takes OnStar somewhere its never been — a consumer electronic device.

Yup, GM's now using OnStar to make devices and providing services that could potentially compete with Microsoft, Apple and the rest — and it's leveraging OnStar's unparalleled brand equity in the world of safety and security to do it.

As of now, the OnStar mirror is certified to work on 99% of the 20 best-selling non-GM vehicles over the last ten years. That's approximately 55 million cars and light trucks.

OnStar expects to certify additional models in the months ahead.

Drive Less, Save More with the GMAC Insurance Low-Mileage Discount for OnStar Customers

The GMAC Insurance Low-Mileage Discount is a groundbreaking Pay-As-You-Go insurance program offered to OnStar subscribers in 35 states. In fact, GMAC Insurance and Onstar are the first to institute a telematics technology-driven Pay-As-You-Go insurance discount program in the U.S.

If you're an active OnStar subscriber with OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics and you drive less than 15,000 miles a year, you may qualify for the GMAC Insurance Low-Mileage Discount. Eligible participants simply opt-in to receive an insurance discount using tiers corresponding to the number of miles driven.

How it Works

The best part is, we'll do all the work for you. Simply opt in to the program, and start saving.

We'll confirm your mileage based on your OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics reports - no additional data is gathered or used for any purpose. Based on those readings, we apply your insurance discount using the Low-Mileage Discount tiers corresponding to miles driven, and you start saving. There's no penalty for driving more than 15,000 miles - in fact, you still get a discount simply for having an active OnStar subscription.

Start Saving Now

More than 30,000 customers are saving more with the GMAC Insurance Low-Mileage Discount. Are you one of them? Start saving now. Get a quote online or call 1-888-346-1071 for a quote.

Interested in learning more about Pay-As-You-Go Insurance? Find out more at www.lowmileagediscount.com.