You have probably heard of OnStar. It’s that little button on the dashboard that you press after your vehicle has been involved in an accident. It connects you with an real person who can provide you with the help you now require.
OnStar is ushering in a new generation of connected vehicles with in-vehicle 4G LTE. It will enable owners of the vehicles to explore some new features, including a built in Wi-Fi hotspot that is capable of pairing up to seven devices. If the vehicle is on, the Wi-Fi is also on. It also includes improved access to existing OnStar safety and security devices.
The launch will offer a trial period of three months or three gigabytes, whichever comes first. OnStar President Mary Chan said “Later this year we will begin to offer data plans and our customers will be able to connect for as little as $5.00 per month.”
The first vehicle to include OnStar 4G LTE will be the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu. It will be followed by more than 30 other Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles by the end of the year.
Drivers who currently are subscribed to OnStar Safe & Sound or Directions & Connections plans already receive a comprehensive suite if safety and security services. Later this year, for $5.00 more per month, they can access 200 megabytes of data. According to AT&T’s Data Calculator, that is enough to stream more than 6.5 hours of music, surf the internet for 13 hours, or send more than 10,000 emails (without attachments)