OnStar from General Motors to Arrive in the Middle East in 2020

General Motors used the GITEX 2019 show to make the announcement that the company’s pioneering in-vehicle safety and security system, OnStar, will be launched in the Middle East in 2020. The service is a membership-based one that will be the first such service in the region to offer customers integrated safety and assistance features with a human touch to give them greater peace of mind while they are on the road.

OnStar was launched in 1996 as a safety and security service that offers customers confidence and convenience through innovative features and human interaction. It is of great benefit in the case of mishaps like flat tires, theft, or an accident. In such an event, an OnStar Advisor will be on hand, ready to help. The OnStar Advisor’s job is to be available to make journeys more safe and secure.

Commenting on the launch of OnStar, Gary West, Managing Director, OnStar Middle East Operations and Future Mobility General Motors Africa and Middle East said that consumers now want to be more connected than ever before, and want to get the same services they get on their phone in their as well. He said that OnStar would take the General Motors ownership experience to another level, as it would provide peace of mind for every journey by delivering in-vehicle connected services backed by a real human connection.

RoadSafetyUAE, which is one of the leading experts on traffic safety in the region recently conducted a study which revealed that motorists still feel that the roads in the UAE are dangerous, with high levels of dangerous and distracted driving. The launch of OnStar in the region is meant to help increase safety on the roads and to support drivers on their journeys through the blue button in a GM vehicle which can be used to directly dial a an OnStar Advisor who would provide support with concierge service, from detailed directions to vehicle diagnostics.

John Roth, President & Managing Director at General Motors Africa and Middle East added: “Guided by our global vision of a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion, we work to harness technology and innovation to give everyone a safer, secure journey. Our efforts to bring OnStar to the region play testament to this. Aligned with the region’s dynamic and visionary leadership, we are working closely with public and private partners such as ESMA, the Dubai Police, Abu Dhabi Police and Etisalat to ensure a smooth and safe roll-out of our OnStar technology in the UAE.”

In addition to the range of technical features that OnStar offers, what differentiates OnStar different is the human element to make members’ journeys safer and more convenient. The support provided ranges from helping new members to begin their OnStar journey with their first drive to providing them with support in the case of an emergency. The OnStar Advisors are receive full training to provide a wide range of standard and emergency services to members including Automatic Crash Response, Emergency Services, Roadside Assistance, Connected Navigation, On-Demand Diagnostics, Remote Key Lock and Unlock.

When an emergency occurs, OnStar can be activated by just pressing the red button that is placed on the rear-view mirror in Chevrolet, Cadillac or GMC vehicles from General Motors, or through the Automatic Crash Response feature. Members are then directly connected to an Advisor trained to support across a variety of situations in just a few seconds. An OnStar Advisor is ready to help 24/7.

Alberto Araque, Vice President/Internet of Things & Digital Payments, Etisalat Digital, said: “We are extremely excited to be partnering with General Motors on the safe and smooth rollout of OnStar technology in the region, which fosters a safe, more connected and efficient driving experience. This underpins Etisalat Digital’s commitment to support the nation’s long-term strategy in promoting digitalization initiatives, including eCall deployment in UAE and other connected car initiatives. This is also aligned closely with our overall strategy of ‘Driving the digital future to empower societies’.”