Tech Tuesdays: OnStar Response Maps Get Real with Microsoft Virtual Earth
OnStar announced last week that it will use the 3D aerial imagery provided by Microsoft Virtual Earth to better guide first responders to the scene of accidents in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
Left is an image of a map OnStar on-call "advisers" used before the switch, while below right is an image of the new mapping technology showing the same location.
The OnStar-Microsoft mapping mash-up has been in effect for several weeks, and according to an OnStar spokesperson the company's advisers have also found the 3D mapping helpful in giving hopelessly lost drivers a better sense of direction when they hit the call button.
This latest OnStar enhancement is just one in a recent series the telematics pioneer and leader has introduced of late, ahead of new systems from Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota/Lexus that will be rolled out before the end of the year .
While OnStar is definitely gearing up to stay ahead of this increasing competition, with parent company GM gushing red ink -- and the subscription telematics service a silver-lining profit center for the troubled automaker -- speculation has been swirling over whether GM is preparing to offload OnStar. Or at least to which competing automakers GM will offer the service
to help raise cash for the struggling automaker.
- Posted by
- Doug Newcomb May 19, 2009, 3:00 AM
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- Automotive Technology, Car Audio and Electronics, Car Tech Tuesdays, General Motors
- Technorati Tags:
- Chrysler, GM, Lexus, Mercedes, Microsoft, OnStar, Toyota
I think it is pretty slick that you can go onto mapquest ahead of time, map out a location or route and then send it to your onstar equipped vehicle for later use.
Then again, for what GM gets for a navigation subscription, you can get a pretty nice portable GPS.
Try getting directions from onstar when you have a screaming kid in the back seat. Doesn't work so well.
ymmv