DETROIT – General Motors and OnStar have launched Stolen Vehicle Slowdown on more than 1 million model-year 2009 GM vehicles in the United States and Canada. Stolen Vehicle Slowdown is the latest enhancement to OnStar's Stolen Vehicle Assistance service and enables OnStar to further help law enforcement in the recovery of subscribers' stolen vehicles, while helping to reduce fatalities and injuries resulting from police chases.
Working with law enforcement and utilizing its built-in technology, OnStar can remotely send a signal that interacts with the vehicle's engine, gradually slowing it down, aiding in a safe recovery.
"Prior to Stolen Vehicle Slowdown, there were only three ways to stop a police chase; the officer elects to terminate the chase, the vehicle being pursued decides to stop, or in the worse case scenario there is a crash," said David Hiller, national vice president, Fraternal Order of Police. "With OnStar Stolen Vehicle Slowdown, we now have an additional and obviously far safer method. We congratulate GM and OnStar for working with law enforcement as they developed this product."
GM will integrate the capability on more than 1 million model-year 2009 vehicles through OnStar's newest generation of hardware, Generation 8. Chevrolet, GM's largest division, will lead the effort with more than half a million Chevrolet vehicles equipped with Stolen Vehicle Slowdown.
Stolen Vehicle Slowdown works once an OnStar subscriber has reported a stolen vehicle to law enforcement. He or she can call OnStar and request stolen vehicle assistance. An OnStar advisor will use advanced global positioning satellite technology to pinpoint the exact location of the stolen vehicle, which will be provided only to law enforcement.
Once law enforcement officials have the stolen vehicle in a clear line of sight to know conditions are safe, they can request the OnStar advisor to remotely slow it down. OnStar will then send a signal to the vehicle's engine, reducing engine power and gradually slowing the vehicle to idle speed while all other vehicle systems remain fully operational, including power steering and brakes.
Because involvement from local law enforcement agencies is key to the safe execution of Stolen Vehicle Slowdown, OnStar conducted a 25-city public safety outreach tour across the United States to familiarize the public safety community with this revolutionary service, and let them experience the technology first-hand.
Subscribers who prefer not to have the Stolen Vehicle Slowdown capability on their vehicle may contact OnStar to opt out of the service at any time. The rest of their OnStar services will remain active and unaffected.
OnStar's Stolen Vehicle Slowdown is included in the OnStar subscription that comes standard for one year on eligible MY 2009 OnStar-equipped vehicles. For more information regarding OnStar's services, visit www.onstar.com.
