GM’s OnStar has been saving lives for more than two decades, and now it’s coming to a smartphone near you.
Thanks to the company’s new Guardian app, OnStar members and up to seven of their friends and family can access the company’s safety services from their smartphone. Given this, they’re available even when traveling in a non-GM vehicle.
The app provides access to four main features and the most notable is mobile crash response. It uses your smartphone’s sensors to detect a crash and can alert an OnStar advisor when one occurs.
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On Android phones, you can be automatically connected to an Onstar advisor, who can send emergency crews to the scene if necessary. On Apple devices, it’s a bit more complicated, as the app will contact an OnStar advisor who will then call you. This can make things a bit tricky as it requires the call to be answered and that could pose a challenge if you’re injured or can’t get to your phone.
The app also provides easy access to roadside assistance for any vehicle. It also allows users to connect to OnStar Emergency-Certified advisors who are available 24/7. GM says they’re specially trained and can assess a situation, provide critical medical instruction and contact 911 as needed.
Lastly, the app allows you to share your location with friends and family. This should make keeping tabs on teenagers a bit less stressful.
The new service is available to OnStar members with a current subscription and will require an “OnStar Guardian service plan add-on.” There’s no word on how much that will cost, but the company is giving eligible members a complimentary six month subscription if they redeem the offer by July 31th. You can learn more about the service and its eligibility by clicking here.
