At the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, General Motors announced that it will begin selling the safety, security and connectivity service for non-GM and older GM vehicles already on the road.
The service will be available through an aftermarket rear view mirror replacement featuring the OnStar button as well as other controls, which is said to be compatible with most top-selling vehicles from major manufacturers. According to the company, the OnStar retail product will offer the same key features found on GM's vehicles including Automatic Crash Response, Turn-by-Turn Navigation, Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance, one-button access to emergency and roadside services. Hands-free calling and Bluetooth connectivity are also part of the functions.
The mirror will be available in the United States initially through Best Buy (http://www.bestbuy.com/) this spring, with more retailers to follow soon. Pricing for the mirror is set at US$299, excluding installation which is expected to cost between US$75 and US$100. The OnStar subscription fee starts from US$18.95 a month or US$199 for a full year.