OnStar moves to quicken emergency response time

Faster emergency help for crash victims is the goal for OnStar as it changes the way it relays vehicle location information to emergency personnel.

OnStar operators, who are automatically notified if a vehicle so-equipped has been involved in an accident, will soon be able to press a button to transmit the exact longitude and latitude of vehicles involved in a crash to a 911 call center. OnStar says this will reduce response time and increase accuracy. Another upgrade will provide responders with the location of the vehicle on a 3D map, to further pinpoint its location.

Operators can then follow up with a call to provide additional information such as severity of the crash, whether air bags were deployed, and information about the number of passengers and injuries if communication with individuals in the vehicle is possible. Previously, the system relied on operators to verbally relay all information to emergency personnel.

A company representative said the new feature will work with any vehicle equipped with OnStar, and it will roll out nationally beginning in the next couple of weeks. Full deployment may take a couple of years, she said, as call centers get upgraded to handle the technology.

OnStar is a telematics communication system owned by General Motors and offered on most of its new models. Telematics systems use a combination of wireless telephone and GPS technology provide an assortment of emergency and convenience services, some of which require a subscription. Other manufacturers offering telematics systems include Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus. Chrysler has also said it plans to add telematcs services soon.

—Jim Travers