http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOgNxHeNdb0

Not sure when this was. Anybody know any details?

 

I've been to Nanaimo, that's all I got.

 

Does the emergency part cost less than buying the whole package? I have an iPhone and 95% of it is redundant - except the accident thing.

 

Brought this up years ago. Don't think it applies in Canada though, but I don't know.

All phones, cell, landline, etc. without service are supposed to be able to make 911 emergency calls as required by the FCC. That doesn't mean onstar will send you help automatically, it does mean if your in a wreck, and push that button by law they have to send help, even if you don't have a subscription. Now if your incapacitated, well, then the subscription could save your life. So its a piece of mind thing, ya take your chances.

From video the little wagon that could holds up pretty well in a roll over, glad the driver was ok. Looks like they got cut off from the skid marks.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the 'Automatic Crash Response' feature of On Star would activate regardless of whether you have a subscription or not. I believe you'll hear an operator, then if you are unable to respond, emergency personnel will be called in by On Star.

On Star's site doesn't seem to want to specifically answer whether only subscribers get the crash response, but IMO, they would be leaving themselves open to litigation if they had that ability, then failed to notify. You're gonna have to ask an On Star rep to be sure.

 

If you have OnStar on your vehicle they can detect 'airbag deployment'. At least that is my understanding. There is even a national TV ad to that effect for OnStar.

 

Yes it does, if you have the subscription. But the question arises, if your car has a non-subscribed onstar unit, and your in a wreck. What happens? Because with or without service, you press the button, your connected with someone. If your begging the person on the other end of the line to send help, and you don't subscribe to on-star, what is their legal obligation? If I worked for on-star I know morally what I would do.

 

OK, you know the straight answer is not easily defined when the lawyer here has to spend a day digging into it.

OnStar will still detect a collision that deploys the SRS restraints, but being that they are a third party carrier, they are exempt from the E911 legislation.......

"The E911 mandate by the FCC does not apply to OnStar. The FCC ruling mandates that all cellular providers must process a direct call to 911 from any mobile phone whether it's subscribed or not. Because red emergency button doesn't dial 911 directly (One of the call centres, instead), you're not protected by this ruling. You also can't directly dial 9-1-1 via hands-free calling because an active subscription is required to maintain hands-free calling minutes."

This may change due to pending and on-going litigation in Michigan, Illinois, and New York.

So in so many words, their equipment will know you've crashed, but they are under no obligation to do anything about it.

 

Thank you 843De,, that kinda sucks. But I understand.

 

Yeah, it does, but depending on how some of these cases go...OnStar may be compelled to respond to crash events involving non or lapsed subscribers. Stay tuned as they say.