OnStar Turns 15

In 1995, a new company was born, one which had the goal of fulfilling a customer's need many others didn't even know existed: help and support the driver. The company, called OnStar, is celebrating this month its 15th anniversary, reminding us that it was the world's first ever telematics service.

As with any anniversary, this one too is the perfect environment for OnStar to look back and give us a little sum-up of what is has done so far. According to the company, since its inception, over 1 million responses to Emergency Service alerts have been provided, 146,000 responses to Automatic Crash Notifications and even more, 198 communities used OnStar’s Crisis Assist to get ready for hurricanes.

OnStar has responded to 51,000 requests for Stolen Vehicle Assistance and delivered about 59 million Turn-by-Turn routes. It also unlocked 4.7 million doors through OnStar’s Remote Door Unlock and is sending 147 million monthly emails to owners, giving them a real-time diagnostic report of their vehicle.

Also since 1995, OnStar received no less than 192 patents, with some 767 patent applications (an average of 60 to 70 applications each year) being filed since.

“One of the most rewarding parts about working for OnStar is knowing that we’ve helped save so many lives over the years,” said OnStar President Chris Preuss. “Our emergency services also provide millions of drivers with peace of mind when they’re behind the wheel.”

“We’ve heard too many stories of innocent victims who lost their lives because a high-speed car chase got out of control. With features like Stolen Vehicle Slowdown, it’s now possible to eliminate that dangerous situation all together.” added Preuss.