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OnStar: What, How, Why

OnStar is the in-vehicle safety and security system created to help protect you and your family on the road. OnStar's innovative three-button system offers:
- 24-hour access to expertly trained, caring Advisors
- A connection to emergency assistance
- Access to OnStar Hands-Free Calling

Do you ever worry about your vehicle being stolen? OnStar has Stolen Vehicle Assistance to help you and the authorities locate and safely return your vehicle: Once you report your vehicle stolen, Onstar can use GPS technology to pinpoint its exact location and provide it to authorities to help with its quick and safe recovery. Remote Ignition Block and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown are two industry exclusive technologies available on select 2009 and 2010 vehicles. Remote Ignition Block can prevent the vehicle from being re-started once the engine has been turned off, and if the vehicle is still moving, Stolen vehicle Slowdown can slow-down the stolen vehicle to an idle speed.

Have you ever locked your keys in your car and had to call a locksmith to get you in? OnStar can save you time and money with Remote Door Unlock: If you’re locked out of your vehicle, an Advisor can send a remote signal to quickly unlock your door, so you can get back on your way. Remote Door Unlock saves you time and money by avoiding the need for
a locksmith.

Have you ever forgotten where you parked? OnStar can help you find it with Remote Horn & Lights: If you can’t remember where you parked, an OnStar Advisor can remotely sound your horn and flash your lights to help you quickly locate your vehicle.

Have you ever gotten a flat tire or ran out of gas? OnStar is there to help with Roadside Assistance: Whether you're out of gas, need a tire change or a tow, simply push your OnStar button and an Advisor can direct a service provider to your exact location to help you. Unlimited, 24/7 Roadside Assistance is included with your OnStar subscription.

Have you ever had an emergency while you were driving? OnStar provides Emergency Services with its red emergency button, located beside the blue OnStar button: If you or someone else need emergency help, one push of the red emergency button connects you to a live Emergency Advisor, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Using GPS technology, the Advisor can pinpoint your exact location and request that police, fire or medical support is sent — and stay on the line with you as long as necessary or until help arrives on the scene.

Have you ever been in your vehicle during a crisis or natural disaster? OnStar has Crisis Assist to help you in that event: During severe weather or natural disasters, a Crisis Advisor can provide evacuation routes, connect you to loved ones, and help you find food, water, medical supplies, or shelter locations.

Automatic Crash Response:
Automatic Crash Response is built-in to your vehicle and allows OnStar to send help right to you — even if you can't ask for it.


Figure 1: The GM automatic crash response (ACR) system uses front and side sensors as well as the sensing capabilities of the Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) itself. The accelerometer located within the SDM measures the crash severity.


Figure 2: In the event of a moderate to severe frontal or side-impact crash, data is transmitted from the affected sensors to the SDM. The SDM sensor also can identify a rear impact of sufficient severity. Regardless of whether the air bags deploy, the SDM transmits crash information to the vehicle's OnStar module.



Figure 3: Within seconds of a moderate to severe crash, the OnStar module will send a message to the OnStar Call Center (OCC) through a cellular connection, informing the advisor that a crash has occurred. A voice connection between the advisor and the vehicle occupants is established. The advisor then can conference in 911 dispatch or a public safety answering point (PSAP), which determines if emergency services are necessary. If there is no response from the occupants, the advisor can provide the emergency dispatcher with the crash information from the SDM that reveals the severity of the crash. The dispatcher can identify what emergency services may be appropriate. Using the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite, OnStar advisors are able to tell emergency workers the location of the vehicle.

*Number and location of sensors and SDM may vary depending on vehicle model.

OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics:
OnStar automatically runs hundreds of diagnostic and maintenance checks on your vehicle’s key operating systems and delivers a summary report right to your inbox every month. You’ll find information divided into three main areas:

Diagnostic Information
Provides alerts for your key operating systems (the ones you would see your GM dealer about if there were an issue) such as engine and transmission, Stabilitrak stability control system, air bag system, emissions system, and antilock braking system

Maintenance Information
Highlights areas that require periodic attention to keep your vehicle running at its best by providing you with your current Oil Life and an estimated mileage at which your next oil change will be required, as well as your current tire pressure.

Notification Information
OnStar will let you know if there is a specific recall for your vehicle (so you can easily schedule service with your GM dealer), as well as important OnStar account information.

View a demo of OVD here

Hands Free Calling:
Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road with OnStar Hands-Free Calling. OnStar has the only built-in, hands-free wireless calling system of its kind, providing you with a convenient and reliable connection.
- A single button-push for safe driving
- Better connectivity in areas of limited cellular reception
- Fewer dropped calls
- Calls sound better, since they're controlled through your surround-sound speaker system

If you already have Hands Free Calling, you can see instructional videos on how to use it here

Turn-By-Turn Navigation System:
It can happen to anyone. You take a wrong exit. Or you realize you "almost" know the way. Or you hit an unexpected detour. Now what? Be 100% sure of your directions with Turn-By-Turn Navigation.

Simple.Tell the Advisor your destination — get directions sent to your vehicle. That's it. See upcoming turns and street names displayed on the Driver Information Center or radio. Wrong turn? Turn-By-Turn knows it and helps get you back on track automatically.

No wasting time or fuel. Good directions save you precious time getting to your destination. And you won't pay to drive miles out of your way. You'll be on the right road every time.


So, Why do you need OnStar?
OnStar offers an unparalleled combination of safety, security, and convenience services to help keep you and your family safe while traveling. With 24/7 connectivity to a live Advisor, you have the peace of mind of knowing that when you need help, OnStar can pinpoint your location and quickly contact help on your behalf. With its simple push-button operation, OnStar is easy to use when you're driving. If you still aren't convinced, read some of these Real Stories about how OnStar helped customers just like you.

For any other information about OnStar, including a list of vehicles equipped with OnStar, different plans available, and more demonstrations on how to use OnStar, visit the OnStar page here

GM & NASA Team Up: The Result - The Robonaut!

When GM and NASA team up, only good things can happen.

Engineers from GM and NASA have been working together through the Space Act Agreement at the Johnson Space Center to build the new Robonaut (Robonaut2) or R2 for short. R2 is a humanoid robot that is designed to help astronauts during dangerous space missions, and can also help GM with safety in their plants.

R2 is a faster, more dexterous and more technologically advanced robot. This new generation robot can use its hands to do work beyond the scope of prior humanoid machines. R2 can work safely alongside people, a necessity both on Earth and in space.

You can see a video on the partnership here with some nice shots of R2.

Well this sounds like one advanced robot! I guess all we have to worry about now is R2 getting a little too smart and getting some bad ideas in its head...


See the whole press release here

Next generation Ecotec engine getting $500 million of R&D support

General Motors has announced that it will be investing $494 million into the next generation Ecotec engine. There has yet to be an announcement as to what form the engines will take, but the engine is currently offered in 2.0L, 2.2L and 2.4L variants that come standard in many of GM's current vehicles - inluding the new Terrain/Equinox and the Buick LaCrosse.

Most of the money - $425 million to be exact - is going to the Tonawanda, NY engine plant, and that investment will also create 470 new jobs at that plant alone. The remaining cash will be split up between GM plants in Defiance, Ohio and Bay City, Michigan - with $59 million and 80 new jobs at the Defiance plant and $10 million with 15 new jobs in Bay City.

The investment includes facility renovation, new machinery, equipment and special tooling to support this engine program at the three plants. Here's the press release from GM:

"GM is transforming its product portfolio to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and the next generation Ecotec engine is an integral part of that transformation," said Denise Johnson, vice president – labor relations. "The investment in state-of-the-art four-cylinder engines is another example of GM's commitment to replace larger-displacement engines with more compact, advanced four-cylinder engines that optimize fuel savings and performance. We look forward to working with our union partners at these three plants to make this investment a success."

The investment in Tonawanda, supported by the investments at Defiance and Bay City, will go toward producing two next-generation Ecotec engines. The new engines will have additional capabilities to improve fuel efficiency and improve performance through advanced design and by adding technology.

The Ecotec engine family is known for its reliability, fuel efficiency and performance. GM Ecotec engines have been on the forefront of delivering leading edge technology including direct injection, variable valve timing and turbocharging. Direct fuel injection, a hallmark of many Ecotec engines since 2007, is just now becoming mainstream technology in the industry.

The current Ecotec 2.4L with direct injection and variable valve timing in the Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain was recently recognized as one of Ward's Auto World magazine's 2010 "Ten Best Engines" for North America based on several factors, including power, fuel efficiency and new technology. The Ecotec is currently available in 2.0L, 2.2L and 2.4L displacements.

"This investment is important because it supports manufacturing in the United States," said Cal Rapson, vice president and director, UAW International Union. "All three plants have a strong reputation for building quality and focusing on the needs of our customers."

For competitive reasons, specifics about the engine capabilities as well as product applications will be shared at a later date.

Regal/Camaro Production to Move to Oshawa

General Motors of Canada has confirmed that production of the 2011 Buick Regal will kick off at its Oshawa assembly plant in the first quarter of 2011. That move has been assumed long before the Regal was even confirmed as an addition to the North American product lineup when a GM-CAW document listed production of a mid-size sedan to be added to the plant.

General Motors will bring back up to 700 laid off workers to staff a second shift on the flexible manufacturing line at the plant east of Toronto. The front-wheel drive Regal will be built on the same assembly line as the hot-selling Camaro. About the same time as Camaro production begins, GM will also add production of the new Camaro convertible. Initial supplies of the Regal will be coming from the Opel plant in Russelsheim, Germany when it goes on sale this summer.

A Quick Update on the 2011 Duramax

GM issued a press release not too long ago regarding the new emission control technology for their 2011 Duramax Diesel. We had a post about the new Duramax last month, so this information should clear up some of the questions we all had about the size of tank and heating system on the Urea injection.

GM’s 6.6L Duramax diesel features the latest in emission control technology, making it the cleanest Duramax engine ever produced, with NOx emissions reduced by at least 63 percent, compared to the 2010 model. NOx emissions are controlled via a Selective Catalyst Reduction aftertreatment system that uses urea-based Diesel (Emission) Exhaust Fluid (DEF). The DEF is housed in a 5.3-gallon (20 L) tank and needs to be replenished about every 5,000 miles (8,000 km). Electrically heated lines feed the DEF to the emission system to ensure adequate delivery in cold weather.

The 2011 Duramax 6.6L will also include GM’s second-generation diesel particulate filter system. Unlike most of the competition, the Duramax regenerates its diesel particulate filter using a downstream injection of diesel fuel directly into the exhaust stream and can travel up to 700 miles (1,125 km) between regenerations – a 300-mile (482 km) increase over the previous Duramax engine. The use of downstream injection also helps to improve engine life by eliminating concerns surrounding the possibility of diesel fuel contaminating engine oil, which can happen when fuel used for regeneration is introduced directly into the cylinder.

We should be receiving the new Duramax trucks in the 3rd quarter of this year - check back for any new information.

More from the NAIAS - GMC Granite Concept

In what looks like a move to somewhat fill the void left by the Pontiac Vibe, GMC brings you its Granite concept. It would be the first move into this territory for GMC, and if you ask me – a step in the right direction. The Granite looks like it would go head-to-head with the small-and-boxy segment currently occupied by the Nissan Cube, Kia Soul, and Scion xB – although the Granite concept has a bit more bite than any of the above mentioned models. As we all know, production models tend to come out looking much less radical than their concept cousins, but GM has shown a penchant for going after that aggressive look with the release of the Terrain.

Some things that likely wouldn’t make it past the concept stage are the spaceship cockpit and interesting interior color scheme, as well as the bold wheels (although I’d like to see them stay.) One unique aspect of this car is the absence of a pillar between the front and rear door, interesting to see if that would make it through to production or not.

Have a look at the pictures and let us know what you think – leave it in the design room or get this badboy to showrooms ASAP?

From the North American International Auto Show - The GMC Acadia Denali

Here is a post for fans familiar with the current Yukon and Sierra Denali lines - the GMC Acadia will be available in the swanky, upscale trim level for the 2011 model year, the first time a crossover will carry the Denali tag. Differences from the run-of-the-mill Acadia include mahogany trim, perforated leather heated and cooled seats, additional ambient lighting and some standard features that are optional on an SLE or SLT model (navigation, tri-zone climate control, heads up display, and a sunroof.)



On the outside is where the Denali really shines (literally and figuratively) with monotone paint available in Summer White, Quicksilver Metallic, Carbon Black, Red Jewel Tintcoat and White Diamond Tricoat, polished 6-spoke 20" wheels, and the familiar honeychrome grille from the Yukon/Sierra Denali.

No word on price yet, but keep your eye out as we expect to start seeing them around the third-quarter of 2010.

2011 Buick Regal

Buick has announced a new Buick Regal will join its line-up for the 2011 model year. After GM decided Buick would be one of its 4 core-brands, it became apparent that the brand would need more models to flesh out its showrooms alongside the Enclave and Lacrosse, and the Regal is its first addition. The Regal is based upon the Opel Insignia, which was recently voted Europe's car of the year. The Buick version will slot into the lineup below the all-new 2010 Lacrosse, becoming the least expensive Buick for sale in Canada and the US.



The new Regal shares its Epsilon II platform with the recently redesigned LaCrosse, but the wheelbase is four inches shorter and 6.7 inches shorter overall. While the LaCrosse will soon add an available four-cylinder engine, the Regal will launch with only four-cylinders. The base engine will be the increasingly prevalent 2.4-liter EcoTec with direct injection. In Europe, the Insignia is available in a Sedan, Wagon, and a high-performance AWD speeder complete with a manual transmission.



The Buick Regal GS concept is being unveiled at the Detroit International Auto Show next week packing a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. With output dialled up to 255-horsepower and 295-pound-feet of torque, the new Regal GS should easily eclipse the 60 mph mark in less than 6 seconds. The GS also sports an adaptive all-wheel drive system, with drive sent to all 4 wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission.Visual differences between the regular Regal and the new Regal GS are a lowered ride height, a discreet bodykit, 20-inch forged aluminum wheels, Recaro bucket seats with four-way lumbar support and cushion extensions, and a racing style steering wheel and metal pedals



Only the premium CXL model will be available at launch, which is expected around the half-way point of 2010, with the turbo version being added next summer.

Let us know what you think of the new Regal, and Regal GS, in the comments section below.

New Diesel Techonology for 2010

Why the need for a new round of updates to the Duramax just three years after the current engines arrived? On Jan. 1, 2010, all new diesel-powered vehicles had to meet tougher federal diesel emission standards that will reduce allowable nitrogen oxide levels by 90 percent from today, 96 percent from 1994 levels.
NOx is a major air pollutant that contributes to smog, asthma, and respiratory and heart diseases. It's a byproduct of diesel’s high combustion temperatures.
The new Duramax diesel engines are built to meet new clean-air regulations, plus they feature other key improvements in technology and capability. Like today’s Duramax, the Isuzu-GM joint venture engine will continue to be available in two versions.

“The new Duramax diesels are based on the same engines that have been around since 2001,” said Gary Arvan, a GM diesel powertrain engineering chief. “The 2500 and 3500 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra HD pickups receive the high-power LML motor [replacing the 2007-10 LMM], while the 2500 and 3500 heavy-duty vans receive the lower-rated LGH engine [also replacing the LMM]. Both have iron blocks, aluminum cylinder heads, and their [6.6-liter] bore and stroke are unchanged.”
The LML will be paired with an Allison six-speed transmission while the LGH will be mated to GM’s in-house 6L90 six-speed gearbox, which is also matched with the 6.0-liter V-8 gas engine.

The two biggest technical changes Arvan shared details about are the Duramax’s all-new selective catalytic reduction and its enhanced exhaust gas recirculation systems -- which are needed to scrub NOx down to no more than .2 grams per horsepower/hour -- as well as its approved use of B20 biodiesel. That’s 80 percent ultra-low-sulfur diesel and 20 percent biodiesel.
NOx selective catalytic reduction uses diesel exhaust fluid. The urea-based solution (32.5 percent industrial urea and 67.5 percent deionized water) is held in a 5.5-gallon storage tank and injected as a fine mist into the Duramax’s hot exhaust gases. The heat turns the urea into ammonia that -- when combined with a special catalytic converter -- breaks the NOx down into harmless nitrogen gas and water vapor.

The exhaust fluid refill point for the HD pickups is mounted under the hood of the engine, while the vans’ is positioned next to the fuel door on the side of the vehicle. The tank is mounted on the side of the driver-side frame rail.
Arvan says diesel exhaust fluid refill intervals will vary depending on duty cycle. Some customers will only have to refill during routine maintenance, such as when the oil is changed, while others will have to top off the tank sooner.
“If they’re towing frequently, they’ll [likely] have to fill up with DEF again sooner,” Arvan said.



To ensure that the exhaust fluid tank is refilled, Duramax-equipped trucks will warn the driver when the fluid is down to a 1,000-mile range. A series of start-up warnings -- including lights, chimes and messages -- will become more frequent until the tank is empty. If the driver continues to operate the truck with a dry tank, after a final warning and restart the truck will only operate in a “limp-home” mode that limits speed to just 5 mph until the tank is refilled.

The selective catalytic reduction and diesel-particulate filter systems depend on a diesel oxidation catalyst that’s positioned downstream, behind the engine, to start the NOx and soot-scrubbing processes. The catalyst requires high temperatures to perform. Those temperatures are achieved on-demand by the addition of a new fuel injector that’s been positioned directly behind the exhaust outlet of the Duramax’s variable-geometry turbo instead of using the engine’s eight existing in-cylinder injectors. Fuel is squirted into the hot exhaust and burns, quickly raising temperatures in the catalysts.

The LML and LGH also make greater use of exhaust gas recirculation across the Duramax’s power band than did the LMM Duramax. The system recirculates a portion of the engine's exhaust back into the engine at a lower temperature. The cooled gases have a higher heat capacity and contain less oxygen than air, lowering combustion temperatures and reducing the formation of NOx. Exhuast gas recirculation is prevalent in today’s clean-diesel engines to reduce NOx, but it’s not efficient enough in its current form to meet 2010 emissions levels in GM’s trucks, hence the use of selective catalytic reduction also.

Power ratings play a role in how much emissions equipment is needed.
“We’ve improved the performance of the Duramax in the van to 250 horsepower and 500 pounds-feet of torque from today’s 250 hp and 460 pounds feet,” Arvan said. “We aren’t prepared to talk about the new power figures for the heavy-duty trucks yet, but we won’t let the new emissions regulations bring us down [in power]. We’ll produce at least the 360 hp and 660 pounds-feet of torque [with the LML] that we make with today’s engine.”

We think there will be a significant power bump when the final numbers are revealed.
The LGH Duramax has a smaller exhaust gas recirculation cooler than the LML motor because of its lower power ratings. It also has a smaller radiator and cooling system.

Efficiency improvements to the recirculation system include new separate cold and hot circuits that allow exhaust gas to recirculate immediately after engine startup, when engine temperatures are still relatively cool and when the engine is idling.
In addition to burning cleaner, the LML/LGH Duramax can also burn greener. It’s certified to burn B20 biodiesel, up from the LMM’s B5 rating.
“We made a lot of enhancements to make sure the new Duramax is robust with biodiesel,” Arvan said. “The engine uses our latest-generation fuel filter that includes a coalescing filter to trap any water that could be present in the fuel. The downstream injector [behind the exhaust] for diesel particulate filter regeneration means we also won’t have a worry of oil dilution with B20 fuel from in-engine post injection [like is used on the LMM diesel]. There’s also additional heating to the fuel circuit so the filter won’t get plugged from old [B20] fuel gelling or waxing.”



Another big change to the Duramax’s fuel system is the first-time use in the Duramax of piezo electric injectors, which can react faster to fuel demands than the old solenoid injectors could. Fuel pressures are up from 1,800 bar (26,000 psi) to 2,000 bar (29,000 psi) for improved fuel atomization and combustion control. The piezo injectors run on an all-electric circuit in the engine, which helps explains the high-voltage cable we’ve seen in spy photos of the engine.
The new Duramax keeps the same Garrett-supplied single turbo setup of the LMM Duramax, though the compressor and turbine wheel diameters and blade trims have changed. The turbo also uses the same “boreless” compressor wheel.
The Duramax also continues to use a conventional gray iron engine block, but it’s been structurally enhanced around the lower skirt to help reduce noise, vibration and harshness. Combined with a new pre-combustion fuel-injection scheme that injects two pilot injections into the cylinder before the main injection, noise levels have been reduced up to 50 percent in the 1,500-1,600 rpm peak torque operating range.
“We focused on getting NVH down in the heaviest driving points,” Arvan said.
We briefly drove a 15-passenger Chevrolet Express 2500 van with the LGH Duramax diesel under its hood. While we weren’t able to do much more than a few quick starts and stops and some city-driving route simulations, we could immediately tell the engine was much quieter than the current LMM Duramax. Arvan said the van we drove was pre-production and only about three-quarters of the way through finalizing its engine calibrations.

Another change is reduced engine-idle speed. Arvan says it’s been reduced from 720 rpm to 640 rpm in the pickups. The van is able to idle at only 600 rpm.
All new engine controllers are needed to manage the sophisticated fuel and emissions system. Arvan says they have twice the number of calibrations as the previous LMM diesel to help the engine run as efficiently as possible across the widest range of operating conditions.

The oil pump is slightly bigger, plus there have been some minor changes to the crankshaft and pistons. Aluminum heads -- a Duramax hallmark -- remain. Engine weight is said to be comparable to the LMM engine.
Arvan also says fuel economy will remain the same -- a key concern of any new diesel owner given the emphasis on clean emissions over operating efficiency.
What isn’t GM yet sharing about the 2011 Duramax? We still don’t know final power ratings for the HD pickups, and there are still a few surprises for a later date -- like perhaps an integrated exhaust brake.
“We’re working on some things in that area [exhaust brake integration],” Arvan said. “We’ll see. It’s part of future discussions.”

We’re definitely looking forward to getting the new Duramax trucks and getting to see this new technology for ourselves.

Thanks to pickuptrucks.com for the info.

Buick Beats Lexus?

The Buick Lacrosse vs. Lexus ES350 - Can Buick really beat Lexus? What do you think

Welcome to the Davis Auto Blog!

Hello All,

Welcome to the new Davis Auto Blog - Your source for car and truck news, and just about everything automotive. We are a Buick GMC dealership in Medicine Hat, proudly serving Southern Alberta and beyond! Visit our site if you'd like to learn more about our dealership. For now, enjoy our blog!