General Motors has introduced a new OnStar service aimed at curtailing potential vehicle breakdowns before they happen. Dubbed OnStar Proactive Alerts, the industry’s first predictive diagnostic system monitors the battery, starter motor and fuel pump each time the vehicle is started. Any time it senses an anomaly, Proactive Alerts will notify the owner via an in-vehicle message, text or e-mail to take the vehicle in for service.
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“Accuracy is the key to our prediction algorithms,” noted Steve Holland, chief technologist for Vehicle Health Management at General Motors Holland. Beyond providing owners with additional peace of mind, Holland believes Proactive Alerts will significantly expedite the repair process because servicing dealers will already know the exact nature of the problem before the customer arrives.
Will expand across GM’s lineup
Currently OnStar Proactive Alerts is offered as a no-cost option on nine 2016 GM models including the Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, Equinox and Corvette as well as the GMC Sierra, Yukon and Terrain and the Cadillac Escalade. However, the automaker plans to expand the innovative system across its entire lineup. It’s available with any OnStar service plan, including the OnStar Basic Plan that now comes standard at no cost for five years.
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“A few companies are doing limited in-vehicle diagnostics, but none have yet demonstrated the capability we offer,” said Paul Krajewski, director of the Vehicle Systems Research Laboratory at General Motors. “As we keep expanding the parts of the vehicle we cover, we hope to continuously enhance our customers’ experience, saving them time and money.”
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