Here is what the Europeans will have in 2 or 3 years id they continue to obstruct progress.
JOhnG
To: Ruffian who wrote (11672)
From: pheilman_
Tuesday, Jun 6, 2000 5:43 PM ET
Reply # of 11696
Onstar growing at viral rate.
Verizon provides CDMA network for Onstar. (According to Verizon anyway.)
300K now to 1M at end of year.
This lends credence to the good doctor's prediction of 300% market penetration.
biz.yahoo.com
Tuesday June 6, 4:59 pm Eastern Time
GM OnStar demand growing faster than expected
DETROIT, June 6 (Reuters) - Demand for General Motors Corp.'s (NYSE:GM - news) OnStar
in-vehicle communications unit is growing faster than expected and should surpass the year-end
target of 1 million subscribers, a company executive said on Tuesday.
Mark Hogan, president of the No. 1 automaker's e-GM unit, said by the fourth quarter of this year
GM expects to be adding 5,000 new subscribers a day as it brings out its 2001 model year product
line-up. Every GM vehicle in the new model year will come equipped with the OnStar technology except the Chevrolet
Cavalier, Pontiac Sunfire and Saturn small cars.
``Currently we have 300,000 customers, and we're very confident of going over 1 million by the end of this year,'' Hogan
said a news briefing.
OnStar is currently available as a standard feature or option on about 30 GM vehicles in packages ranging from $15-$40 a
month.
Using global positioning system satellite technology, OnStar connects drivers with a 24-hour call centre that helps them with
everything from summoning an ambulance to finding a restaurant. GM also plans to bundle OnStar with a new Internet and
cellular telephone service.
Last month, Japan's Honda Motor Co. said it would offer OnStar on its new RL Acura luxury sedan due out next year.
Also Tuesday, GM unveiled plans to use the Internet and its special night vision technology to offer a drivers-eye view of
the famed Le Mans 24-hour race after the sun goes down.
GM will also give visitors to the ``GM Experience Le Mans'' spot on its Web site (http://www.gm.com) information about
how fast its Cadillac and Corvette cars are travelling, lateral G-force data, real engine sounds, and a track diagram to
monitor the car's position.
``Information is going to be flowing from the race cars in Le Mans, France, to homes around the world,'' said Hogan.
GM's luxury Cadillac unit is returning to Le Mans for the first time in 50 years with its Northstar Le Mans Prototype. GM
will also be racing a Corvette C5-R race car. The race is June 17-18.
GM and other major automakers have been striving to use the Internet to reach customers in different ways. GM officials
said they expect to get 500,000 Web site hits during the Le Mans race.
With the night vision technology, the automaker hopes to draw attention to Cadillac as a leader in technical features.
Cadillac currently offers Night Vision as a $1,995 option on its DeVille large sedan. The system uses an infrared camera and
head-up display to improve the view at night. |
