OnStar Mirror to Sell in 1,600 Stores

Having proven a hit on GM vehicles, the OnStar service is getting ready to expand and cover pretty much all the manufacturers selling in the US. Their weapon of choice, the rearview mirror with some special features, will be selling in no less than 1,600 locations across North America, from a yet undisclosed date (officially, this spring).

The retailers which will sell the OnStar wonder gadget include all nationwide Best Buy locations, online retailer Crutchfield and a number of regional retailers like ABC Warehouse of Pontiac, Michigan.

“Our customers have been asking for years to add OnStar in the cars and trucks they already own – so we’re confident there will be strong demand for the OnStar product right out of the gate,” said Greg Ross, OnStar’s vice president of business extensions.

The OnStar mirror, presented during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in the beginning of January, will allow owners of non-GM cars access to services like Automatic Crash Response, Hands-Free Calling and Turn-by-Turn Navigation. Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance, one-button access to emergency and roadside services, and Bluetooth connectivity are also offered.

According to the company, the system will work on 99 percent of the top 20 selling non-GM vehicles in the last 10 years, opening the doors to a potential market of about 55 million customers.

The mirror will sell at the stores for $299, with OnStar planning to announce service plans starting at $18.95 a month or $199 a year. The mirror will be distributed through Ingram Micro.

“As a safety product, many drivers view OnStar as a ‘must-have’ rather than a ‘nice-to-have’ purchase. Ingram Micro looks forward to helping retailers make the most of this unique opportunity,” added John Soumbasakis, Ingram Micro’s senior vice president of specialty solutions.