How Does OnStar Work on a 2002 Cadillac Escalade?
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What it does
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The OnStar system is made by General Motors (GM) and costs about $25 per month to subscribe. Besides being a GPS locator for places, offices and restaurants, the hands-free mobile phone links to a call center via three buttons on an overhead console. In the event of an emergency, OnStar notifies the 24-hour call center and the car's position appears on a monitor along with a pop-up containing the nearest 911 center. The adviser can even unlock the car remotely by clicking an icon and the concierge can help with ordering flowers and tracking down event tickets.
The Tracking System
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Radio signals from 24 satellites orbiting earth are used to operate GPS technology. The satellite and the tracking receiver generate the same coded signal by calculating the time the signal travels from the receiver to the satellite. Though 16-24 satellites are available at any time, OnStar uses only four to take the calculations. The vehicle identification number (VIN) and the subscriber's account number are then transmitted to the OnStar call center, along with the vehicle's make, color, and model year.
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Advantages
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Press the blue button and a recorded voice lets you know it is connecting you to the system. The adviser calls your name, tells you where you are and asks for information on what you are in need of. A red emergency button gives priority access to the call center and call center is alerted automatically if the airbag inflates. Someone is always "on alert" concerning the car, whether you are driving or someone else is.
Disadvantages
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Someone is always watching "from above." The satellite tracker knows where the car is at all times and what is going on with it, including your driving habits. Driving habits means anyone who has access can get a history report on the car showing where it's been. There are also some areas OnStar does not service. Also may be a disadvantage if you don't like being annoyed with service reminder calls on a regular basis. Though surveillance monitoring by the FBI was ruled unlawful by a federal appeals court in 2003, it is still possible for "dashboard spying" to take place with a federally-mandated court order. Wiretapping does disable the car.
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Resources
- Photo Credit OnStar (*) Dashboard by General Motors (GM)
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Comments
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riverbadboy
Nov 22, 2009
also, READ YOUR AGREEMENT TERMS. I have.onstar does not monitor location. so they dont monitor unless you crash / Stolen OR You can be tracked and stopped,if law enforcement gets a court order (ie. judge to sign piece of paper then faxed to onstar).also in the fine print, your cars speed, your safetybelt info.(whether you had it on or not) and position in a crash can be submitted for review for law enforcement. if you dont mind this then feel free to onstar. like some, i dont feel that its worth it to have the govt control. sorry to seem paranoid but not all of the info is ever revealed in these articles.
