OnStar now stops thieves in their tracks
New to the OnStar stable is a pretty handy anti-theft feature. If a thief decides he likes your car better than he likes his freedom, OnStar now has the ability to tell the engine to slow down, and use of the gas pedal is essentially eliminated, leaving only braking and steering as options for your wannabe car-jacker. Like many new technologies, there’s some good and bad with OnStar’s new ability. It will only activate the protection under directive from the police, or in special circumstances, such as when a seemingly-empty car is actually occupied by a child, turning the situation into a kidnapping. It’s not that it’s a bad move on OnStar’s part…it just seems the any extra hoops that are required to accomplish what’s necessary seem, well, unnecessary.
What if your 6yr old kid, decides to take your car to applebees? Will this help prevent that?
I think its a brilliant idea. This really moves me. For my next car ill have to get the on star feature.
great idea. good job GM.
Gregory, good find.
I can understand why the limitations on this are necessary because I used to be a teenage boy. At that age, a prank to get OnStar to shut down the car my brother using on a date would be hysterically funny.
The potential for abuse outweighs the few extra minutes needed to call the police to have them shut the car down.
Is no one else concerned about the privacy implications?? I am not wearing my tin foil hat today either…. What happens when the police decide to have your car disabled because you are going 72 in a 65 and not pulling over quickly enough for their desire.
“Hello, OnStar, how may I help you”
“My car seems to be slowing down and the further I press the gas pedal, the less it works.”
“Yes sir the police ordered your car to be shut down.”
“What you talkin’ bout Willis?”
“Sir are you in a black suburban license 8L…?”
“No I’m in my black tahoe license 8M…”
“Oh terribly sorry sir let me re-activate your iPho…car for you.”
“Damn straight.”
“There you go sir have a nice day.”
“F**king idiot.”
“What was that sir?”
“I said have a nice day.”
“Alright you too.”
Knowing GM that’s probably what would happen.
It seems to me you both are missing the point. The owner of the car would first have to notify OnStar and the Police that their vehicle was stolen. Then the police would have to find it, maybe with the help of OnStar, and then they, the Police, would contact OnStar to let them know it was safe to disable the vehicle and if you are worried about privacy why would you buy a vehicle with OnStar? How would the Police know that your car had an active OnStar account to be disabled because you were speeding? I think it is a great idea!