General Motors (OnStar): Difference between revisions
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|Website=https://www.gm.com, https://www.onstar.com | |Website=https://www.gm.com, https://www.onstar.com | ||
|Description=A multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and markets vehicles and offers in-vehicle safety, security, and information services. | |Description=A multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and markets vehicles and offers in-vehicle safety, security, and information services. | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''General Motors (OnStar)''' is a multinational automotive manufacturing company and its subsidiary, OnStar, which provides in-vehicle security, emergency, and navigation services. This article assesses the company's consumer protection stance, with a primary focus on the accessibility of emergency 911 services for non-subscribers of the OnStar service. | |||
==Consumer-impact summary== | ==Consumer-impact summary== | ||
Business | {{Ph-C-CIS}} | ||
====Business model==== | |||
* The company's business model for its OnStar service includes paywalling a critical emergency 'SOS' button, preventing non-subscribers from using it for its primary purpose of contacting emergency services. | *The company's business model for its OnStar service includes paywalling a critical emergency 'SOS' button, preventing non-subscribers from using it for its primary purpose of contacting emergency services. | ||
==Incidents== | ==Incidents== | ||
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]]. | This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]]. | ||
=== Inaccessible Emergency 'SOS' Button (1996-Present) === | ===Inaccessible Emergency 'SOS' Button (1996-Present)=== | ||
This practice places a direct paywall on a critical, life-saving feature. The core of the issue rests on the classification of the OnStar system as a cellular communication device.<ref>Auto-Vlog. (2024, January 29). "Here's How To Call 911 With An INACTIVE OnStar System" [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM7cqDzchjg</ref> The Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 (the "911 Act") mandates that mobile service providers must transmit all 911 calls to a public safety answering point, regardless of whether the caller has a subscription.<ref>U.S. Congress. (1999). "Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999," Public Law 106-81, 106th Congress. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/senate-bill/800</ref> It has been argued that by preventing a direct connection to emergency services via its most prominent emergency button, OnStar's behavior for non-subscribers is inconsistent with the spirit of this federal law and the established public expectation for emergency communication devices.<ref>Lopez, J. (2020, June 30). "OnStar Hands-Free Calling Will Be Sunset in 2022". GM Authority. Retrieved August 16, 2025, from https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/06/onstar-hands-free-calling-will-be-sunset-in-2022/</ref> | |||
==Products== | ==Products== | ||
* | *OnStar (1996): An in-vehicle telematics system. The primary consumer issue involves the paywalling of its dedicated emergency SOS button for non-subscribers. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* [[ | *[[Right to Repair]] | ||
* [[John Deere]] | *[[John Deere]] | ||
== References == | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]] | [[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]] | ||