If you’ve ever seen those OnStar commercials and then get filled with raging jealousy because you don’t have a GM car? Then there’s some really good news out of CES for you today.
OnStar has announced a new rear-view mirror product that can be installed into virtually any make or model, and gives the car access to the safety and information service.
“For years, thousands of drivers have asked us to get OnStar in vehicles that didn’t feature it as standard. With the retail product that we’ve introduced today they certainly can. This move in to the consumer electronics space represents the biggest development in our business model since introducing OnStar as standard across all GM products several years ago,” said company president Chris Preuss.
OnStar currently has 6 million subscribers, but there are some 55 million drivers with cars that can’t even access the service. This will open up huge doors for OnStar.
The mirror itself costs $299, in addition to the installation charge. The OnStar service them costs $18.95 per month, or at a reduced annual rate of $199.
With OnStar, drivers can instantly connect with representatives to ask for directions to the nearest hospital, restaurant, or airport. It also has numerous features including Bluetooth calling, integrated GPS, automatic crash response, and built-in tracking if the car is ever stolen.
The mirror will be available at Best Buy stores this spring. OnStar has other retail partners but is emphasizing the availability at Best Buy.
