Even if you don’t drive a GM vehicle, many people have seen the commercials for the OnStar telematics system. The ones where the family vehicle crashes and the OnStar telematics system automatically alerts and connects to emergency services.
OnStar launched an aftermarket rear-view mirror equipped with its OnStar telematics based communication system this year (2011) at CES. Even if you don’t drive a GM, now any vehicle can use the OnStar system and service.
The crash response system works like this: A sensor inside the mirror can detect front, rear or side impacts. Electronics inside the mirror automatically notify OnStar operators if there’s a crash, and the operators will try to reach the driver. If they get no response or the driver says there’s been a crash, the operators will send help to the car based on a GPS system that’s inside the mirror.
OnStar services are currently installed in over 6 million vehicles. The OnStar mirror will retail for $299 at Best Buy. The device will hit the shelves this Spring. The monthly fee for the service will be $18.95.
OnStar and other telematics companies are exploring different ways to bring the Internet experience into the automobile. OnStar Telematics, a division of General Motors, currently offers drivers a variety of connected services, including turn-by-turn GPS system navigation, automatic crash response, stolen vehicle location, and much more.
OnStar offers some of its core services on cell phones. It also integrates Google Maps with OnStar’s turn-by-turn GPS system navigation feature. With a telematics system like OnStar, all it takes is a smart phone to stream a rich menu of applications into the car, ranging from social-media sites to traffic alerts. OnStar offers many helpful services, which range from unlocking car doors to helping find a vehicle in a parking lot. (You need a smartphone like an iPhone to do this.)
FieldLogix Telematics Based GPS Fleet Tracking System
FieldLogix, an industry leading green fleet management system, provides access to traditional telematics services but also can tap into onboard data, such as vehicle maintenance diagnostics, how fast a driver has been going, the real-time location, and the number of miles driven. The ability to track vehicle data and driving patterns is significant, and can provide many benefits.
Tracking this type of data can even get you lower insurance rates. Many insurance companies offer discounts to drivers who are being monitored by a telematics based fleet management system.