OnStar, Verizon Show Off Vehicle Apps At CES
The OnStar business unit of General Motors unveiled prototype applications on a Buick LaCrosse research vehicle in the Verizon Wireless booth at the International Consumer Electronics show.
Among the services available in the demo:
* Vehicle monitoring – Cameras mounted throughout the interior and exterior of the car allow remote viewing of what is happening in and around your parked vehicle through a smartphone or PC.
* Impact detection – The research vehicle has the ability to send live video to secure servers in the cloud from each of its six cameras placed around the exterior and interior of the vehicle. This is triggered by events around the car or by an application on a smartphone. When an impact such as a parking lot fender-bender is detected, the vehicle transmits a video clip, helping to identify the offending driver.
* Home monitoring and control – Keep an eye on your home by connecting to security cameras in real-time through the 4Home service. Control the thermostat, lights and other home systems from your vehicle – "preset" scenes allow you to condition your home when you leave, before you return or when you're leaving for an extended period of time.
* Electronic User's Guide – Learn how to operate and maintain your vehicle through videos streamed on demand to the dashboard.
* Video chat – Make a video call using Skype to connect with family, friends or colleagues.
* Traffic view – A voice-operated navigation system goes beyond calculating the best route by displaying live traffic-cam images from TrafficLand to spot congestion before you get stuck in a backup.
"The true broadband speed of the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network gives our engineers the freedom to re-imagine the world of connected in-vehicle services in the future," said OnStar president Chris Preuss. "While we haven't decided yet which of these demonstration features OnStar will offer or when, these prototype applications show just some of what's possible when we combine our 15 years experience in developing safe, secure and leading edge connected mobility solutions with the speed and agility of Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network. Any future services from OnStar will also meet our high standards for safety – making sure that drivers' hands are on the wheel and their eyes are on the road."
OnStar's prototype applications are the result of collaboration with Verizon Wireless' LTE Innovation Center. The LTE Innovation Center, established in 2008, provides an environment for diverse companies to work together to develop innovative products that leverage 4G LTE technology.
OnStar collaborated with many companies on this research project, including Skype (www.skype.net), TrafficLand (www.trafficland.com), and 4Home (www.4home.com). For more information about OnStar, visit www.onstar.com.
For more information about the LTE Innovation Center and Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network, visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte. For more information about Verizon Wireless at CES, visit www.verizonwireless.com/ces or follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/verizonwireless.
