GM teams up with IBM to improve Onstar

[Analog]

TROY ? General Motors Corp.?s OnStar service on Thursday introduced vastly improved digital technology that also offers better voice recognition.

The voice recognition system, developed in conjunction with IBM Corp., now can understand entire phone numbers and names instead of one letter or digit at a time and combination digital and analog coverage.

The technology is the sixth upgrade since OnStar became available in 1996. OnStar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GM that provides emergency and convenience services through wireless phone and satellite communications systems.

?It?s quicker and more intuitive,? said Walt Dorfstatter, OnStar?s chief engineer, about the upgrade.

The company is hoping improved voice recognition and digital technology will make it easier for drivers to take advantage of safer hands-free calling and improve its coverage area.

The new digital technology will be rolled out this spring on several GM midsize sport utility vehicles and then included on all SUVs, pickup trucks and passenger cars. Foreign automakers who equip their vehicles with OnStar have not yet committed to the upgraded hardware, Dorfstatter said.

The service now has 2.5 million subscribers, according to Tony Lent, OnStar?s vice president of wireless business. It?s available on 50 GM makes and models along with selected vehicles from Acura, Audi, Volkswagen, Isuzu and Subaru.

Customers pay about $695 extra for OnStar-equipped vehicles, which includes the first year?s subscription. Afterward, customers pay a fee based on their level of service.

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[Ness]

Hopefully the additions of IBM technology won't make this entirely a luxory. OnStar is something that (although I haven't experienced it myself) should be equipped in all vehicles.. or at least a dumbed down version of it for emergency purposes. Recall the story of the guy who slid off the road in the winter last year and survived off junk food for like, a week, in freezing temps before someone found him.

 

[MrBond]

Originally posted by: ness1469
Hopefully the additions of IBM technology won't make this entirely a luxory. OnStar is something that (although I haven't experienced it myself) should be equipped in all vehicles.. or at least a dumbed down version of it for emergency purposes. Recall the story of the guy who slid off the road in the winter last year and survived off junk food for like, a week, in freezing temps before someone found him.

It's not really a luxury now, except for the price. It's standard on a lot of the Chevrolets as it is, and you get a free year of service with it. It's $200/year after that, which is kind of steep, but if you used it just once it'd be worth it. I wonder if you'd get an insurance discount for having it?

I'll agree the current voice recognition tech is pretty poor. My mom tried their car-phone service for a month, she'd have to repeat the number several times before it'd get it right.