General Motors announced today that for 2007, the company will fundamentally change drivers’ access to navigation by offering more than two million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada with the first factory-installed, fully-integrated off-board GPS navigation system – OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation.
The new service from OnStar by GM will be standard for the first year on a number of GM retail vehicles sold in 2007 including nearly all Buicks and Cadillacs. OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation will also be available on many other GM vehicles through a $100 optional OnStar package upgrade during the initial year of service.
Customer demand for in-vehicle navigation systems is rapidly rising. According to a J.D. Power and Associates1 estimate, 1.2 million 2005 model year vehicles in the U.S. were equipped with factory-installed navigation systems representing a 41 percent increase over the 2004 model year.
“By adding the competitively-priced OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation to more than 2 million vehicles for 2007, GM will significantly increase the number of factory-installed navigation systems on North American roads,” said Mark LaNeve, General Motors North America vice president, Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing. “In addition to the volume increase, GM also will offer the most navigation options across more vehicle segments and price ranges than our competitors.”
“OnStar is truly transforming the overall user experience by offering the simplest and smartest navigation system on the North American market,” said OnStar’s President, Chet Huber. “By leveraging our powerfully simple design, OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation demystifies navigation technology for the customers and further differentiates GM vehicles in the marketplace.”
After the first year, customers can continue enjoying OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation by renewing their package for just $299 per year, which also includes OnStar’s complete suite of safety, security and communications services. This makes OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation a very affordable factory-installed navigation service for the mass market.
The simplicity of OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation allows a consumer to talk to a live advisor, who in turn sends complete step-by-step directions to the customer’s vehicle through their OnStar system. Audio directions are then automatically played through the vehicle’s stereo as they are needed, triggered by the OnStar system’s GPS capabilities.
As the simplest and smartest navigation system in North America, OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation’s key advantages include:
Ease of Use: Just press the OnStar blue button in the vehicle; OnStar advisors are available 24/7/365.
Hands on the Wheel, Eyes on the Road: The system features convenient voice-guided directions delivered through the radio speakers to guide the driver turn-by-turn to the destination.
Automatic Route Corrections: OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation detects when the driver leaves a planned route or makes a wrong turn and automatically offers updated directions to the destination.
Pinpoint Positioning: The enhanced GPS system utilized by Turn-by-Turn is fully integrated with the vehicle’s ABS module to deliver a more precise positioning solution.
Ten Million Points-of-Interest: OnStar currently maintains and continually updates an off-board (centrally-managed) database with about ten million point-of-interest locations in the U.S. and Canada.
For more information on OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation vehicle availability and pricing, please visit http://www.onstar.com/.
About GM
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 75 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 327,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2005, 9.17 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM operates one of the world’s leading finance companies, GMAC Financial Services, which offers automotive, residential and commercial financing and insurance. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at http://www.gm.com/.
About OnStar by GM
OnStar, a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors, is the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and communication services. OnStar is available on more than 50 2006 GM models and includes one year of complimentary services, and will become standard on most GM retail vehicles in the United States and Canada by the end of 2007. OnStar provides services to more than 4 million subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. More information about OnStar can be found at http://www.onstar.com/.
