Have you ever wished your car was a hotspot on wheels? Well your wish is about to be granted! OnStar ushers in a new generation of connected vehicles next month with in-vehicle 4G LTE. OnStar with 4G LTE brings a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot into and around the vehicle. Pairable devices can include properly equipped laptop computers, smartphones, video game consoles or tablets.
The 2015 Chevrolet Malibu will be the first 4G LTE-equipped GM vehicle, followed by more than 30 other Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles by the end of the year. Check out the complete list here.
The industry’s broadest deployment of 4G LTE connectivity technology will enable owners of these vehicles to explore new features like a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot capable of pairing up to seven devices, as well as improved access to existing OnStar safety and security services. It’s the most comprehensive in-vehicle safety and connectivity system available.
“Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac will be the first vehicle brands to market with 4G LTE connectivity offered on such a broad scale, and we’re excited to give millions of customers an opportunity to explore the technology without paying extra for a data plan for three months or three gigabytes,” said OnStar President Mary Chan. “Later this year, we will begin to offer data plans and our customers will be able to connect for as little as $5 per month.”
Customers using OnStar with 4G LTE can take advantage of a powerful antenna that’s stronger than that of a smartphone, along with a Wi-Fi hotspot that operates without draining a mobile device’s battery. That hotspot is on any time the car is on. Most 2015 model year Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles with OnStar hardware will come standard with five years of a new OnStar Basic Plan, as well as six months of an OnStar Directions & Connections plan. Some vehicles and lease programs offer extended OnStar trial periods.
The new OnStar Basic Plan includes RemoteLink Key Fob Services, allowing owners to remotely start and lock/unlock a car, and activate the horn and lights from a compatible smartphone with a data connection. It also includes OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics where OnStar which runs monthly checks of select systems in a vehicle’s engine, transmission, antilock brakes and more, and Dealer Maintenance Notification, which sends a diagnostic report directly to a preferred dealer to make service scheduling simple for the customer.
For more information on pricing and availability visit OnStar.com.
