OnStar names vehicle mirror kit FMV, makes small changes
updated 01:30 pm EDT, Thu March 17, 2011
OnStar FMV kit for non-GM vehicles updated
OnStar announced it will name its new mirror kit for vehicles other than GM's FMV, or For My Vehicle. It will be bundled with an external microphone that is said to offer the "best" voice quality. The FMV will otherwise bring many of the same services the full-blown offering does in GM vehicles.
This includes Automatic Crash Response, which will connect users to an OnStart emergency advisor when a crash is registered by the built-in accelerometer. Emergency services can then be informed of the vehicle's location. Turn-by-turn navigation is onboard with spoken directions to a destination spoken by the driver. Stolen vehicle location assistance and roadside assistance are also available.
Users can make hands-free calls through OnStar or a Bluetooth connection to their cellphone. An external microphone can be tucked into an overhead console or roofline, and replaces the integrated microphone of the previous design.
Also changed since the system's debut at CES is a boost to the number of supported vehicles, now at 90 million rather than 55 million.
OnStar FMV arrives this summer for $299. Installation is expected to take less than an hour at a cost of under $100. The service plans start at $19 per month or $199 per year.
