OnStar offers high-tech services to Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC owners

If you lived in the United States over the past two decades, chances are you would’ve heard of OnStar. Pioneered by General Motors, the in-vehicle tech offers a wide range of safety and security services to owners of GM vehicles, and it is now available in the Middle East. 

Currently, OnStar is available on most 2022 GM models, across the Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac brands in Kuwait and the UAE. Factory-built into the vehicle with an embedded e-Sim, OnStar is an opt-in subscription service that is unique in many ways.

“OnStar is in a league of its own, leading the way with the Connected Car to bring you closer to your vehicle than ever before,” said Gary West, Managing Director OnStar and Future Mobility at General Motors Africa and Middle East. “OnStar is only available once a customer subscribes to the service, as General Motors continues to keep customers at the heart of its operations, prioritising choice, control and data privacy for every driver.”

OnStar is designed to be a life-saver when you get into an accident, have your car stolen or even lose your keys, as you can instantly connect with a person to get you the right help.

It’s best feature is arguably the Automatic Crash Response. When the vehicle’s sensors detect that you’ve been in a collision and the airbags are deployed, the system enables an automatic call from your vehicle to an OnStar Advisor, offering help and staying with you until emergency responders arrive. The OnStar Advisor can also connect you to your loved ones to offer emotional support during a difficult time.

The OnStar Advisor will use crash data, GPS technology and precise maps to locate your vehicle and connect with emergency responders, sharing specific crash data and your exact location only after an accident, to ensure you get the right help when you need it most.

OnStar can also help if you run out of fuel on the road or burst a tyre, by connecting you to GM’s Roadside Assistance Provider. You can call for help either through your mobile app or by just pressing the in-car blue button if your phone is dead.

OnStar even has a Good Citizen feature that lets you report a road incident — such as a broken-down car or other cars in an accident — with a push of the red button to a 24/7 OnStar Advisor, without having to talk to the police or directing them to the location.

On another note, in the unlikely event your car is stolen, the Theft Alarm Notification can inform you if your car alarm goes off, and with Stolen Vehicle Assistance, OnStar Advisors can track the car once a police report has been filed.

Aside from the safety services, OnStar offers a host of convenient Connected Services in conjunction with the myChevrolet, myGMC or myCadillac app. You can use it for locking and unlocking the doors and even remote start the engine and a/c, and also find the location of your vehicle on a map or remotely flash the headlights and honk the horn to help you find your car.

And with Vehicle Diagnostics feature, you can press the in-car blue button to have an OnStar Advisor run a real-time diagnostics report. Covering everything from remaining oil life, tyre pressure and current odometer reading, it is far easier to maintain your car and book a service when needed.

Once you onboard and activate OnStar, you will unlock up to 10 years of standard connectivity services free of charge, which includes Vehicle Diagnostics, Diagnostics Alert, Dealer Maintenance Notification and SmartDriver.

OnStar subscription plans are customisable. In the UAE, members can opt for the Protect Plan or the Connect Plan priced at just AED 99 per month, or a bundle offer priced at AED 149 (free for trial, including data plan, in the first two months). For more value, members can opt for an Annual plan and get yearly coverage for the price of 10 months. OnStar will also require an in-vehicle data plan from Etisalat starting at AED 69 for 2GB per month. For more information on OnStar’s pricing and packaging, please visit the OnStar Arabia website.