astronomy

OnStar

OnStar is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand OnStar rather than just read about it. In short: OnStar Corporation is a subsidiary of General Motors that provides subscription-based telematics services, including communications, in-vehicle security, emergency services, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote diagnostics systems throughout the United States, Canada, Chile, China, Mexico, Europe, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. A similar service known as "Vauxhall/Opel OnStar"…

Key takeaways

OnStar belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect OnStar to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of OnStar from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

OnStar Corporation is a subsidiary of General Motors that provides subscription-based telematics services, including communications, in-vehicle security, emergency services, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote diagnostics systems throughout the United States, Canada, Chile, China, Mexico, Europe, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. A similar service known as "Vauxhall/Opel OnStar" was available in western Europe and "ChevyStar" in Latin American markets (except in Brazil and Argentina). In September 2011 the president of OnStar stated that the service had more than six million customers. On May 9, 2018, Vauxhall Motors announced that Vauxhall OnStar, alongside Opel OnStar services, would cease to operate after December 31, 2020, following Groupe PSA's purchase of Vauxhall Motors and Opel from GM. A new aftermarket interior rear-view mirror with a built-in OnStar module, branded as OnStar FMV, became publicly available on July 24, 2011. It provides some of the features an OEM system has, such as Automatic Crash Response, Stolen Vehicle Tracking, Turn-by-Turn Navigation, and Roadside Assistance.

Overview

The OnStar service relied on CDMA mobile phone voice and data communication, primarily via Verizon Wireless in the United States and Bell Mobility in Canada, as well as location information using GPS technology, a core component of automatic vehicle location. More recently, TELUS and Onstar announced a new arrangement in 2021 for 4G and 5G in-vehicle mobility services. Drivers and passengers can use its audio interface to contact OnStar representatives for emergency services, vehicle diagnostics and directions. The OnStar service allows users to contact OnStar call centers during an emergency. In the event of a collision, detected by airbag deployment or other sensors, Advanced Automatic Collision Notification features can automatically send information about the vehicle's condition and GPS location to OnStar call centers. OnStar has 24-hour emergency call centers in Warren, Michigan; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Ontario, Canada, and other call centers in Makati, Philippines; and Oshawa, Ontario. This Advanced Automatic Collision Notification service is designed to assist emergency response efforts. All OnStar-equipped vehicles have a Stolen Vehicle Tracking feature, which can provide the police with the vehicle's exact location, speed, and direction of movement. Starting in the 2009 model year, General Motors began equipping some new vehicles with Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. This feature allows OnStar to remotely slow down the stolen vehicle. The service is also expected to help reduce the risk of property damage, serious injuries or fatalities resulting from high-speed pursuits of stolen vehicles. Customers may opt out of that function. The first successful use of this service occurred in October 2009 when a stolen Chevrolet Tahoe was recovered, and its suspected thief was apprehended. Also in 2009, General Motors began equipping some new vehicles with Remote Ignition Block, allowing OnStar to remotely deactivate the ignition so when the stolen vehicle is shut off, it cannot be restarted. All Stolen Vehicle Assistance services (Stolen Vehicle Tracking, Stolen Vehicle Slowdown and Remote Ignition Block) are functions of the vehicle's tracking system and can be requested by the OnStar subscriber, but OnStar will not activate them until confirming with the police that the vehicle has been reported as stolen. OnStar subscribers may be eligible for anti-theft and low mileage insurance discounts. Since OnStar can help with the recovery of a stolen vehicle, some insurance companies recognize this and offer a discount. Also, with certain insurance companies (for example, GMAC Insurance) and with subscriber permission, OnStar will send the insurance company the vehicle's odometer reading every month. If the subscriber qualifies as a low-mileage driver, they may be eligible for an insurance discount. Even if the vehicle is OnStar equipped, no OnStar services are available until the system is activated. All new and certified pre-owned OnStar equipped GM vehicles include a three-month free trial, after which, vehicle owners can choose between various plans:

Connected Access: Free for 10 years: includes Vehicle Diagnostics, Dealer Maintenance Notification, Chevrolet Smart Driver, and Marketplace App Access: $15/mo, includes In-Vehicle Streaming Audio Apps, Alexa Built-In, and Connected Navigation Remote Access: $14.99/mo or $149.90/yr, includes Remote Key Fob, Family Link, On-Demand Diagnostics, Vehicle Locate, and Remote Personalization OnStar Guardian App: $15/mo, Take OnStar on the go. An app that supports Automatic Crash Response, Emergency Services, and Roadside assistance outside an OnStar-equipped vehicle Unlimited Access: $29.99/mo, includes all services in Remote Access, plus Alexa Built-In, Connected Navigation, and access to 4G LTE Data Safety & Security: $29.99/mo or $299.90/yr, includes Automatic Crash Response, Emergency Services, Roadside Assistance, Crisis Alert, Stolen Vehicle Assistance, and Turn-By-Turn Navigation Remote Access + Safety & Security: $39.99/mo or $399.90/yr, includes all services in the Remote Access and Safety & Security Plans Unlimited Access + Safety & Security: $49.99/mo, includes all services in the Unlimited Access and Safety & Security Plans Mobile data access in the vehicle can be added with extra service plans, provided by TELUS in Canada. In June 2022, GM began to include a three-year, prepaid OnStar and Connected Services premium subscription as a standard option on Buick, Cadillac, and GMC models, at a value of US$1,500. This subscription is a mandatory option included in the price of the vehicle, even if the owner does not intend to use the services. Legacy Plans no longer able to be purchased:

Basic: Free for first 5 years, which includes Remote Access, Advanced Diagnostics and Smart Driver which provides advice on driving style Protection: $19.99/mo, which includes Advanced Automatic Collision Notification, Emergency Services, Crisis Assist, Roadside Assistance, Remote Access, Advanced Diagnostics and 24/7 access to Advisors Security: $24.99/mo, includes all services in the Protection plan, plus Stolen Vehicle Assistance Guidance: $34.99/mo, includes all services in the Security plan, plus turn-by-turn navigation, OnStar AtYourService, and 30 Hands-Free Calling Minutes

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with OnStar

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what OnStar claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to OnStar before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about OnStar ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of OnStar

In research: OnStar appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses OnStar in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: OnStar is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Automotive Emergency Communication Systems, Automotive technology tradenames, Companies based in Detroit, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for OnStar outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “OnStar” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study OnStar in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what OnStar means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain OnStar out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is OnStar in simple terms?

Why does OnStar matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study OnStar?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on OnStar.