GM and OnStar Advanced Automatic Crash Notification Now Available on 12 2005 Models
Responding to vehicle crashes quickly and efficiently can mean the difference between life and death. General Motors announced on September 16 that its Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN) system is available on a dozen new 2005 GM models equipped with OnStar's in-vehicle safety and communications system.
Responding to vehicle crashes quickly and efficiently can mean the difference between life and death. General Motors announced on September 16 that its Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN) system is available on a dozen new 2005 GM models equipped with OnStar's in-vehicle safety and communications system. AACN, an industry first, makes emergency information available to 911 centers so that they can send the appropriate life-saving personnel and equipment to crash scenes faster. Using a collection of sensors, AACN automatically calls an OnStar advisor if the vehicle is involved in a qualified frontal, rear or side-impact crash, regardless of air bag deployment. AACN provides crash severity information to OnStar advisors, who relay it to 911 dispatchers. AACN systems can determine the severity of crash, direction of impact, air bags deployed, multiple impacts and rollover (if equipped with appropriate sensors). GM's AACN system is available on a broad range of OnStar-equipped GM vehicles ranging from small sedans through sport/utility and luxury series vehicles, including the 2005 Buick Rainier; Cadillac STS; Chevrolet Malibu, Malibu Maxx, Cobalt, TrailBlazer and TrailBlazer EXT; GMC Envoy, Envoy XUV and Envoy XL; Pontiac G6; and the Saab 9-7X. GM will continue to roll out AACN on additional GM models in the coming years. OnStar receives approximately 700 air bag notifications each month. "We know that shortening the time to treatment by EMS and trauma physicians can make a big difference in survival and recovery," said Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D., administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "This technology should result in better response times after a crash when traveling in less populated areas, and more accurate information to EMS dispatchers even in the city." Traffic safety and emergency medical experts say AACN may be especially important in rural areas, where there may not be a passerby to report a crash and few local hospitals equipped to treat the kinds of injuries sustained in severe crashes. Sixty percent of the nation's fatalities are in rural areas, even though rural areas account for only 20 percent of the total annual crashes. OnStar, with more than 2.7 million subscribers, is available on more than 50 models from General Motors and is the nation's leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information services using the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite network and wireless technology.
More Operations

From AI Prompts to AI-Generated Safety Songs | AF News Recap
Can better prompts make AI more useful for fleet managers? This week, we’re breaking down smarter fleet analysis, an AI-assisted experiment that turned safety training into music, and what happened to fuel prices in August.
Read More →
How to Write Better AI Prompts for Fleet Analysis
Include these six elements in your fleet prompts to generate more relevant analysis and accurate answers.
Read More →
Fleet Meets: Eric Kilgore
This edition of the Fleet Meets series features one of the industry's best leaders driving multi-market and national operations.
Read More →
Why Reactive Fleet Management Is Becoming Too Expensive to Sustain
Research highlights a growing need for proactive management strategies to address rising costs in fleet operations effectively.
Read More →
What Your Fleet KPIs Aren’t Telling You
Tracking fleet metrics is only useful when the data leads to better decisions. This guide helps fleet leaders assess cost, utilization, and downtime more accurately, identify performance gaps, and prioritize the actions that can improve operational results.
Read More →
Hidden in Plain Sight: Fleet Compliance Risks
Fleet compliance isn't just about having policies — it's about consistently enforcing them. This practical guide reveals six hidden compliance risks common in public sector and shared fleet operations and outlines proven strategies to improve visibility, accountability, and audit readiness
Read More →
Turning Fleet Payment Data into Executive Insights
Does data alone drive results in operations?
Read More →
Automotive Fleet Opens 2026 Personal Use Survey for Commercial Fleet Managers
Commercial and corporate fleet managers are invited to share how their organizations handle company vehicle personal-use policies, charges, and driver eligibility.
Read More →
Gary Van Orden Retires After Nearly Four Decades in Commercial Fleet
From answering customer calls at Ford Motor Company to leading fleet sales across multiple OEMs and a fleet management company, Gary Van Orden's career reflects nearly four decades of leadership in commercial fleet.
Read More →
How Stellantis Plans to Get Ahead of Fleet Downtime
Vehicle acquisition may grab the headlines, but fleet uptime increasingly determines operating success. Darren Bradshaw of Mopar North America gives the details.
Read More →

