VIDEO: See how OnStar's Stolen Vehicle Slowdown works on the road
Click the image above to view the video
Needless to say, stealing cars is big business. If your vehicle becomes a target for thieves, there's a good chance it will be stripped of its parts and scrapped within days or even hours of being stolen. There are plenty of security options to locate your vehicle, but OnStar takes it one stop further by powering down the vehicle in a safe fashion. A simple call between you, the police, and OnStar can activate the vehicle slowdown system, which lets the driver continue to steer and brake as needed, but the engine decelerates until the vehicle stops safely.
The bloggers over at Kicking Tires took a Chevy Impala equipped with Stolen Vehicle Slowdown for a spin to see exactly how it works. Hit the jump to view the video, and let us know if you think OnStar's system will deter thieves from stealing GM products.
[Source: Kicking Tires]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Zeus.:God 7:36PM (9/24/2008)
Vazz-kezz... Great job on the pronunciation, but otherwise, pretty good video. Nice feature as well.
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arturo 7:58PM (9/24/2008)
insurance is the problem. they want people to steal cars, they make business this way.
MasterCKO 8:13PM (9/24/2008)
arturo, what are you talking about?
Insurance companies make more money when things DON'T happen, because then they don't have to pay anything out.
Torrent 7:37PM (9/24/2008)
I have to admit, that is a very useful tool.
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wengleung 9:06PM (9/24/2008)
It's ironic how the woman said that they hope they'll have their first "slow down" soon. That's like wishing someone's car to be stolen. Aren't these things suppose to deter theives?
Torrent 9:22PM (9/24/2008)
That's as bad as getting released from a hospital, then they say 'come back soon'. How could they even say that?
Ray 7:39PM (9/24/2008)
sure it's a great idea! But who would want to steal a GM vehicle?
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chad.dawkins 9:17PM (9/24/2008)
I'm sure you can make a lot of money selling GM parts(especially Escalade parts) for the low.
Slim 7:40PM (9/24/2008)
Wait, what if the engine shuts down and the car ends up in an intersection or on a railroad track...?
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David 7:42PM (9/24/2008)
I guess the car thief better have his seat belt on then.
Vik 7:44PM (9/24/2008)
Then the CRIMINAL'S life is at risk. I hope the system locks them in the car, too.
John 7:47PM (9/24/2008)
You know darn well if the engine turned off and the thief got in an accident he would sue the car owner, sue the insurance company, and sue GM for his injuries and pain and suffering. That's how sick and disgusting this country is nowadays.
alan 8:17PM (9/24/2008)
the vehicle has to be in a police officers sight, who would be able to determine whether it is safe to slow the car down.
Judy Zik 8:21PM (9/24/2008)
This is why it SLOWS the engine. Engine power is REDUCED not CUT OFF. The whole system is designed to allow who ever is driving to still have control of the vehicle.
I think this is an awesome feature. I just wish you could customize the message that your car displays to the would be thief. Optional retractable cattle prod would also be a great add on to this system. I would happily display disclaimers on the windows that say "if you steal this car you are in for the shock of your life".
Big Rocket 8:48PM (9/24/2008)
@Vik: I wouldn't mind seeing more criminals taken out, but things may not work out so well in the real world. A single SUV parked on train tracks could cause derailment.
CNN: "The worst disaster in Metrolink's history occurred on January 26, 2005, in suburban Glendale, when a man parked a gasoline-soaked SUV on railroad tracks. A Metrolink train struck the SUV and derailed, striking another Metrolink train traveling the other way, killing 11 people and injuring about 180 others. Juan Alvarez was convicted this year of murder for causing the crash."
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/09/12/train.collision.ap/
Torrent 2:52AM (9/25/2008)
Usually, death occurs.
akboss 8:46AM (9/25/2008)
Odd an SUV derailed a train, must have been a land-yacht Hummer H2. I've seen police videos of trains plowing through tractor trailers without a problem, and on Top Gear they purposely parked a Renault Espaz on the tracks to show what a high-speed train to car collision looks like - trust me, you don't want to be in that vehicle. But they likely wouldn't have performed the test had their been significant risk of the train flying off the tracks...and that was just a locomotive, not towing a hundred thousand tons of metal behind it.
Ronald Jones 9:56AM (9/25/2008)
Should not be any different than a Bait Car that is used here in Arizona. Every now and then they'll show what happens on the News. The doors lock, the window switches don't work, the engine is shut off and the Cops are right there to make the arrest. This seems a lot safer than those PIT maneuvers.
dachshundtooateez 7:54PM (9/24/2008)
Yeah, if I owned a brand new Impala, I'd want it to get stolen.
Clever, but probably more dangerous than its worth... For the criminal and innocent bystanders.
...I'd expect anyone who complains about criminal's rights to be more alarmed about "big brother" anyway.
Also in terms of society, saving the car wouldn't be worth the gas lost in a traffic Jam on the 91 at rush hour as a result of it stalling.
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Keith J. Wakeham 8:26PM (9/24/2008)
And the fact that the Impala is built at a plant that has a higher initial quality record than any North American Honda, Toyota, Nissan, or domestic company plant means its better built than the competitors. Sorry, but it is a fact, not even an opinion. Check it out on Wikipedia and JD power.
It's easy to be negative about domestics but seriously, Onstar is a very positive thing and this in a great new development. A stolen Impala with this will likely have less damage done to it and people around it in just about any scenario. An Impala running into another car at 70mph vs 20mph or a person for that matter. You also have the option of disabling the feature or not getting Onstar.