On Star Controls Your Car — Forum

Travis Historical / Guest

Oct 24, 2009 2:43 AM

#74,675

I just saw a commercial for On Star that shows cops getting a report of a stolen car and talking with the On Star operator. The operator flashes the lights for the car to let the cops know its the right one, then pushes a button to disable the power making the car stop.

For those of you who live in a jungle in Africa,

OnStar is the in-vehicle safety and security system created to help protect you and your family on the road. OnStar's innovative three-button system* offers:

24-hour access to expertly trained, caring Advisors

A connection to emergency assistance

Access to OnStar Hands-Free Calling

So what do you think about this?

I'm a bit nervous that our automobiles will be out of our control. The ability to disable your car or take over your car sounds abit like the book 1984.

For those of you who do not understand this reference:

Nineteen Eighty-Four (also 1984), by George Orwell, published in 1949, is a dystopian novel about the totalitarian régime of the Party, an oligarchical collectivist society where life in the Oceanian province of Airstrip One is a world of perpetual war, pervasive government surveillance, public mind control, and the voiding of citizens' rights. In the Ministry of Truth (Minitrue), protagonist Winston Smith is a civil servant responsible for perpetuating the Party's propaganda by revising historical records to render the Party omniscient and always correct, yet his meagre existence disillusions him into rebellion against Big Brother, which leads to his arrest, torture, and conversion.

So what do you think? On one hand it can be a nice feature to get help for you. On the other hand your car is at the mercy of, not only whoever controls the on star company (GM owned by the govt.?) but anyone who hacks their system.

This isnt the commercial I saw.

Edited Oct 25, 2009 12:49 AM by Travis

Spooky Member #3,545

Oct 24, 2009 9:19 AM

#74,679

I dont like the idea of that system at all. I would much rather just have a tracker fitted.

A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

Ozzy10 Aerial Photographer Member #2

Oct 24, 2009 3:06 PM

#74,681

some muppet with nothing better to do , will hack into the system and kill some poor driver

thinking hes controling a game when in reality its real

My code does NOT have bugs. It just develops random features.

JOhnson I know not of what I speak Member #27,425

Oct 24, 2009 6:54 PM

#74,684

I dont like the idea of that system at all. I would much rather just have a tracker fitted.

Spooky

:lmaojump: I got agree and go along with Spooky a "tracker" is the thing to have on your vehicle.

Evolution Member #3,536

Oct 24, 2009 8:21 PM

#74,685

I think Tracker system should be sufficiant enough for auto theft maybe push a button or something that alerts for help .. as far as controlling and shutting down the vehicle not comfortable with that ideal.

I Didnt do it ...

Travis Historical / Guest

Oct 25, 2009 12:07 AM

#74,689

some muppet with nothing better to do , will hack into the system and kill some poor driver
thinking hes controling a game when in reality its real

Well in GM's defense. All it does is disable the throttle. Steering and braking still function properly, but the engine coasts to a stop.

Ozzy10 Aerial Photographer Member #2

Oct 25, 2009 7:42 PM

#74,703

am sure someone would find a way to make it send throttle the other way lol

My code does NOT have bugs. It just develops random features.

Dippy Member #6,161

Oct 27, 2009 1:07 PM

#74,707

Let me ask you something when the car shut down does the steering wheel lock?

Do the Brakes stop working?

If the car just cuts out and the steering wheel and brakes still work how is that going to kill someone?

BumbleBeeChat.Net

Warrior Member #27,156

Oct 27, 2009 1:29 PM

#74,708

Let me ask you something when the car shut down does the steering wheel lock?
Do the Brakes stop working?

If the car just cuts out and the steering wheel and brakes still work how is that going to kill someone?

I'm guessing that's why they do this,if they cut the engine totally.. none of it would still work,but like all electronic ideas some one will find away round it to block the signal or something,tracker would be a better idea at least they can follow it cos it would have to come to a stop at some point safely. :pizza:

on ^*:JOIN:#:{
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Haggis The Haggis Member #272

Oct 27, 2009 2:24 PM

#74,709

if my engine goes off i lose my ABS i lose the power steering, my steering wheel would lock on turning

so yeah its very dangerous

what happens if the car stops on a railway crossing and you cant start it agin to move it

Spam Honeypot - http://www.haggistech.co.uk/honey(humans do not register)

Spooky Member #3,545

Oct 27, 2009 4:10 PM

#74,710

As Travis said, it only disables the throttle and the engine still runs, so it wouldnt have any effect on the ABS, Power Steering etc..That said, a throttle works by cable so i cant see how it would only disable the throttle!!

A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

Fanfare Member #5,488

Oct 27, 2009 4:10 PM

#74,711

So you basically buy a car with tracking device installed and controlled by a 3rd party? So much for privacy. I suppose there's good and bad about this idea. The good being that you need desperate help when in an accident, but not much so when you're a carjacker who steals a car with OnStar equipped...lol

Haggis The Haggis Member #272

Oct 27, 2009 5:06 PM

#74,712

As Travis said, it only disables the throttle and the engine still runs, so it wouldnt have any effect on the ABS, Power Steering etc..That said, a throttle works by cable so i cant see how it would only disable the throttle!!

Agreed

some of the new expensive cars are digital throttles and not cable

Spam Honeypot - http://www.haggistech.co.uk/honey(humans do not register)

Fanfare Member #5,488

Oct 28, 2009 4:40 AM

#74,713

Is GM the only car maker in association with the Onstar corporation? I've just realized that none of my cars are American-made...lol

eXphire Member #578

Nov 1, 2009 5:01 PM

#74,766

ya GM is the only one with onstar and this is whats happenin to alot of vehicles such as the car that stops on its own when it gets to close to something and i dont know about you but trying to fix all this electronic stuff on new cars and trucks is a pain thats why i drive a 93" FORD Bronco <wo0t>