CES: GM OnStar rear-view mirror works in non-General Motors cars
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GM has found a way to make itself felt inside competing automakers’ vehicles -- with an aftermarket rear-view mirror equipped with its OnStar communication system, debuting at CES.
The $299 mirror was displayed Tuesday night inside a 2004 Toyota Camry and could be installed in another 55 million cars, including older General Motors models and vehicles from Ford, Honda and Nissan.
Users could have access to traditional OnStar features, which include call-center support, hands-free calling capabilities, navigation and a system that can track the vehicle if stolen. The mirror would even be able to send out a post-collision alert, due to a built-in accelerometer that detects the sudden shock from an impact.
At first, Best Buy will exclusively sell and install the units once they reach shelves in the spring. The installation process will likely cost from $75 to $100, GM estimated.
OnStar currently has more than 6 million subscribers and has recently been expanding in China, said OnStar President Chris Preuss at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Rival automakers such as Ford and Toyota, as well as several aftermarket manufacturers, have already or are planning to announce similar telematics products.
“We know others are coming so we’re going to spend and spend to keep our technological edge,” Preuss said.
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-- Tiffany Hsu
