Does Your Car Speak Spanish?
29 März 2006 - 5:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Complete Array of OnStar Safety and Security Benefits Available in
Spanish DETROIT, March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- With the Hispanic
population approaching 45 million in the United States, GM and
OnStar are strengthening their commitment to provide subscribers
the best in-vehicle communications and assistance service available
by launching an industry-first service enhancement -- OnStar en
Espanol. OnStar, the leading provider of in-vehicle safety,
security and communication services, first introduced
Spanish-speaking advisors in 2003. The new system enhancement,
available on most OnStar-equipped Model Year 2006 vehicles at no
additional cost, provides subscribers a more holistic Spanish
experience including voice-recognition capabilities and hands-free
calling. Supplying a simple, convenient user experience in Spanish
to this fast-growing market segment alleviates uncertainty for
subscribers who prefer Spanish, and offers additional peace of mind
especially in emergency situations. This situation became real for
Spanish-speaking OnStar subscriber, Albert Nuno, when his wife
Katherine, who was eight months pregnant, went into labor. "I
didn't know how to contact the emergency room to let them know we
were on the way," said Nuno. "Every minute was crucial because the
baby was losing oxygen. Being able to communicate with the OnStar
advisor in Spanish allowed me to worry about other things besides a
language barrier." "OnStar has always been a customer-driven
innovation since its introduction 10 years ago. Moving from a
single to multi-language service was a natural evolution for us
while still keeping the technology simple for subscribers. All they
need to do is press the blue OnStar button," said OnStar's Vice
President Tony DiSalle. "In 2005, more than 20 percent of all new
vehicles sold to Hispanics were GM products. The OnStar launch of
Spanish language services helps OnStar and GM to continue to
enhance the customer experience and provides a unique
differentiator for GM vehicles." In addition to Spanish-speaking
advisors and voice-recognition capabilities, OnStar's Spanish
services include: OnStar Hands-Free Calling -- Access to
voice-activated, hands-free calling that is fully integrated into
the vehicle offering a safe, more convenient alternative to a
hand-held cell phone while driving. Our shared minutes plan, the
America's Choice Plan with OnStar, lets subscribers share their
Verizon Wireless plan minutes between their cell phone and their
OnStar in-vehicle calling. OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics -- OnStar
sends a monthly e-mail to your computer providing diagnostic
reports on key operating systems in your vehicle, maintenance and
other relevant vehicle ownership information. OnStar Turn-by-Turn
Navigation -- Gives drivers with vehicles equipped with ABS and
OnStar 7.0 hardware simple and affordable turn-by-turn voice-
guided directions letting them keep their eyes on the road and
hands on the wheel. This service, announced in early February 2006,
will be available in approximately 1-million GM cars and trucks in
Model Year 2007. OnStar currently has more than 4-million
subscribers along with more than 900,000 participants receiving an
e-mail from their vehicle as part of the OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics
program launched in September 2005. Over 75 percent of OnStar
subscribers say they would prefer to have OnStar in their next
vehicle. For more information on receiving OnStar en Espanol or
signing up for OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics, just press the blue
OnStar button and ask for a Spanish-speaking advisor, or visit
http://www.onstar.com/espanol . About OnStar: OnStar, a wholly
owned subsidiary of General Motors, is the leading provider of
in-vehicle safety, security and communication services using
wireless technology and the Global Positioning System (GPS)
satellite network. OnStar is available on more than 50 GM models
for 2006. One year of OnStar service will be a standard feature for
GM's retail customers in the United States and Canada, covering all
segments and prices except for some commercial vehicles. One year
OnStar safety and security services include automatic notification
of air bag deployment, stolen vehicle location assistance,
emergency services, roadside assistance, remote door unlock, and
OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics. Hands-Free Calling allows drivers to
make and receive hands-free, voice-activated calls from their
vehicle. More information about OnStar can be found at
http://www.onstar.com/ . DATASOURCE: General Motors Corporation
CONTACT: Daphne Zheng, +1-313-665-8289, or Kristina Adamski,
+1-313-667-5363, both of OnStar Web site: http://media.gm.com/
http://www.gm.com/ http://www.onstar.com/espanol
http://www.onstar.com/
Copyright