OnStar, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, was founded in 1995 as a collaboration between GM, EDS and Hughes Electronics Corp. Each of the founding companies brought a specific area of expertise to the enterprise: GM brought world-class vehicle design and integration and an unparalleled distribution system of millions of vehicles, EDS brought much of the systems development and information management and customer service technologies, while Hughes excelled in communications and satellite technology and vehicle electronics.

In 1996, then GM North America Operations President Rick Wagoner officially launched OnStar at the Chicago Auto Show.  OnStar delivered its first product and service to the market in 11 months - in the fall of 1996 for model year 1997 Cadillac DeVille, Seville and Eldorado models.

OnStar services are available in the United States and Canada.

OnStar Milestones

2005
January
  • GM announces OnStar will become standard equipment on all GM Vehicles by the year 2007
  • ComCARE applauds GM's decision to make OnStar standard equipment
February
  • OnStar personal calling reaches its 500-million minute milestone
April
  • GM announces the return of its 'Hot Button' marketing program
  • OnStar by GM debuts "Out of the Blue" 30-minute documercial
May
  • OnStar launches new digital Sound Studio
  • OnStar reminds subscribers to 'buckle-up' during National "Click it or Ticket" Mobilization campaign
June
  • OnStar by GM captures three Telematics Update Awards, making it the only multiple winner in the 2005 judging and an eight-time winner in the award's three-year history
  • OnStar by GM received the coveted 21st Century Achievement Award by the Computerworld Honors Program for its visionary use of information technology in the Transportation category
2004
January:
  • OnStar and GMAC Insurance create innovative insurance products
February:
  • New OnStar digital hardware offers improved Voice Recognition and Continuous Digit Dialing
March:
  • OnStar expands availability in RV Industry with new partnerships
  • OnStar helps police nab FBI fugitive on \'America's Most Wanted\'
April:
  • OnStar partners with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
June:
  • OnStar and Verizon Wireless introduce the America's Choice Plan
July:
  • OnStar offers a TTY help line for subscribers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired
August:
  • OnStar introduces Multilanguage Voice Services so subscribers can communicate with OnStar in English, French or Spanish
September:
  • GM Certified Used Vehicles launches OnStar promotion
  • GM Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN) available on a full range of 2005 models and doubles production of OnStar equipped vehicles
October:
  • Verizon Wireless offers the America's Choice with OnStar plan nationwide
December:
  • OnStar achieves another first as winner of Good Housekeeping's "Good Buy" award for best service
  • OnStar reaches three-million subscribers
2003
January:
  • General Motors announces it will expand XM Satellite Radio to 44 models in 2004 which will cover over 75 Percent of GM's 2004 Fleet
February:
  • OnStar announces it is available on 11 additional vehicles throughout the 2003 calendar year and will offer services on more than 60 models from seven different automotive manufacturers
April:
  • OnStar launches new advertising campaign using voices of real subscribers to tell OnStar story in radio ad campaign
May:
  • ComCARE Alliance recognizes OnStar advisor for heroic achievement
  • OnStar reminds subscribers to \'Buckle Up\' supporting the \"Buckle up America\" campaign
June:
  • OnStar helps police in suburban Chicago recover the first stolen OnStar-equipped motor home
  • The ComCARE Alliance and Telematics Update Magazine recognize OnStar for its outstanding performance and leadership in the field of telematics
August:
  • Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN) debuts on New Malibu and Malibu Max
  • OnStar expands Real-Life Stories advertising campaign to TV
September:
  • OnStar Personal Calling reaches 200-million minute mark
December:
  • OnStar relocates to GM Renaissance Center in Detroit, MI
2002
January:
  • General Motors announces it will offer XM Radios in 24 car and truck \'03 models
April:
  • Cadillac announces it will be the first automotive brand to offer XM Satellite Radio on all 2003 Models, 25 total
May:
  • Cadillac and OnStar offer six-months Directions & Connections Service at no charge on Certified Pre-Owned Cadillac's
June:
  • OnStar announces their services will be offered on 44 of 53 GM models in 2003
  • OnStar expands safety and security services to RV Industry
July:
  • GM announces it will offer Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN) in 2003
August:
  • OnStar sells 50-millionth OPC minute
October:
  • OnStar names new Vice President of Wireless Business
2001
February:
  • OnStar teams with Fidelity Investments to allow OnStar subscribers to monitor, manage and trade in their Fidelity personal investing accounts via OnStar\'s hands-free, voice-enabled Virtual Advisor.
April:
  • OnStar celebrates one million subscribers
  • Audi announces the availability of OnStar for the redesigned 2002 Audi A4
  • OnStar partners with Dow Jones to allow OnStar subscribers to hear their favorite Wall Street Journal business news and features while driving
May:
  • OnStar expands its Virtual Advisor entertainment content to include soap opera and other TV series updates, horoscopes and children\'s programming
June:
  • The Computerworld Honors Program awards OnStar with the coveted 21st Century Achievement Award for its Virtual Advisor service
July:
  • OnStar teams up with Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) to provide the latest news, sports and entertainment from ABCNEWS.com, ESPN.com and Disney.com
  • Speech Technology magazine readers vote a Peak Performance Award for Best Speech Deployment to OnStar and its technology providers for the Virtual Advisor
August:
  • OnStar Personal Calling and Virtual Advisor launch nationwide
November:
  • OnStar announces it will end the 2001 calendar year with close to two million subscribers
December:
  • Safe & Sound, Directions & Connections, and Luxury & Leisure go into effect and replace Safety and Security and Premium, which had been in place since 1999
  • OnStar subscriber base reaches 2 million
2000
May:
  • Honda and OnStar jointly announce that OnStar will be available in Acura vehicles in 2002, beginning with the 2002 Acura RL luxury sedan
September:
  • BusinessWeek names OnStar among the "Web Smart 50" as one of the world's leading companies that harness the power of the Web to create innovative products and services that take new approaches to changing the way global businesses operate
October:
  • OnStar names new Vice President of Wireless Business
November:
  • OnStar celebrates 500,000 subscribers
1999
February:
  • OnStar and Mary Kay announce agreement to provide OnStar on Mary Kay fleet of pink Cadillacs
March:
  • OnStar celebrates 50,000 subscribers milestone
  • OnStar launches 3-button format in 11 additional General Motors vehicles
  • GTE (later Verizon Wireless) announces a new cellular network that supports OnStar 3-button format
November:
  • GM President and COO Rick Wagoner demonstrates prototype of OnStar Virtual Advisor to audience at SEMA show in Las Vegas-- the prototype is the world\'s first personalized Web-based car
1998
January:
  • Saab announces OnStar availability on 1999 models at the Detroit auto show
March:
  • OnStar becomes available in Canada
August:
  • OnStar installed in 10 Avis Cadillacs for a pilot program at Detroit Metro Airport
October:
  • OnStar 3-button format is factory-installed on Cadillac Escalades at Arlington Assembly Plant in Texas
1997
January:
  • Pontiac-GMC announces OnStar availability on the Denali/Envoy when it goes to market in February 1998
December:
  • OnStar announces the auto industry\'s first remote diagnostics, enabling subscribers to get an immediate analysis of the severity of a problem indicated by a warning light in their vehicles

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