General Motors (OnStar)
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1908-09-16 |
| Legal Structure | Public |
| Industry | Automotive, Technology, Information Technology |
| Official website | https://www.gm.com |
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
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.
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 General Motors (OnStar) category.
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. 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. [2] 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. [3]
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
References
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 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/