[car fanatics]

General Motors
Photo credit: General Motors
June 11, 2012
By: CF staff

Telematics service fields 13.8 million Turn-by-Turn Navigation requests

Shanghai OnStar, General Motors’ in-vehicle safety, security and communication service joint venture, achieved two major milestones in May with its subscriber base across China reaching 450,000, and requests for Turn-by-Turn Navigation totaling 13.8 million since the launch of the service in October 2009.

Shanghai OnStar received certification from China’s State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping in 2011, becoming the first telematics joint venture allowed to offer mapping service in China. It is authorized to provide map searches, location-based services, geographic mapping, and map download and delivery. To ensure the accuracy of navigation, OnStar maps are updated every three months.

Shanghai OnStar continues to develop cutting-edge technology and creative ideas for practical services. It offers two unique options for navigation: ODD (OnStar Destination Download) and POI (Point of Interest). ODD sends navigation routes to vehicles and then guides drivers to their destination via in-vehicle navigation. POI offers information on more than 13 million points of interest, including gas stations, parking lots, restaurants, hospitals and banks, saving subscribers time and energy.

In 2011, Shanghai OnStar was the first telematics company in China to launch a mobile app that integrates Turn-by-Turn Navigation. It allows subscribers to search for destinations and even control vehicle systems remotely through a cell phone. Turn-by-Turn Navigation is automatically loaded when the vehicle’s engine is started.

In order to enrich the driving experience, Shanghai OnStar is continually developing additional services, including greater navigation path choices and real-time traffic information. In the future, more points of interest, better voice recognition, hands-free queries for traffic information, and real-time traffic and other services will be available.

“OnStar navigation is valued by people not only for its high efficiency but also for its human-based care,” said Shanghai OnStar Managing Director Diane Jürgen’s. . “OnStar’s blue, red and white buttons connect you on a 24/7 basis 365 days of the year to our conscientious customer service advisers, who offer the most reliable and best technical support in the business.”