VIDEO: Gag Me With a Yule Log - GM allows kids to track Santa Claus via Onstar
Santa pays a visit to OnStar -- Click above to view the video after the jump
OnStar has provided nothing but good press lately for General Motors, and the automaker is going to ride that pony all the way to the finish. The next person in line to take advantage of OnStar's benefits is that Arctic gadget freak himself, Santa Claus. Unveiled as an installed option on his new sleigh – which he picked up when he dropped by OnStar HQ – it comes with at least one extra feature you won't be getting anytime soon: a reindeer health meter.
But you haven't been left out of the bonanza. GM has partnered with NORAD so that if you have an OnStar subscription, you can keep track of K. Kringle during his midnight run. From 6 a.m. on Christmas Eve until early Christmas morning, press the blue button and OnStar will update you on the hour with info relayed by the guys deep in the mountain.
It's not a Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock, but it's a start. Follow the jump for the press release and watch Santa get his Christmas present.
[Source: OnStar]
PRESS RELEASE
OnStar Connects Children to Santa with the Push of a Button
NORAD partnership provides location information for subscribers; Santa's sleigh gets fitted with OnStar technology
DETROIT –Santa Claus is getting a technology upgrade this Christmas season. This Christmas Eve for the first time, OnStar subscribers will have the ability to follow Santa's journey around the world using their OnStar system thanks to a new partnership with The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
Starting at 6:00 a.m. EST on December 24, drivers with an active OnStar subscription will be able to press the blue OnStar button in their vehicles and request a "Santa Update." From there, an OnStar advisor will share Santa's whereabouts based on location information provided by NORAD. The advisors will receive a new update from NORAD every hour and will be able to inform subscribers of Santa's location through 5 a.m. EST on December 25.
"We are honored to help the world's busiest traveler find his way this holiday season," said Scott Kubicki, Vice President OnStar Service Delivery. "We know with our core suite of services, Santa's travels will be much easier."
For more than 50 years NORAD has used its GPS technology to monitor Santa's whereabouts and share this information with children and families around the world. This year, OnStar will be sharing that location information through its advisors and links to the NORAD website from onstar.com, onstarconnections.com and facebook.com/onstar.
Santa will also be enjoying the safety and security of OnStar in his sleigh this Christmas. St. Nick recently paid a visit to the OnStar Command Center to pick up his newly outfitted sleigh and learn about the real services the company offers subscribers and the custom services OnStar created just for him.
Santa's custom fictional services include: Reindeer Health Diagnostics to keep him abreast of the reindeers' hunger and energy levels, Hands-Free Calling to allow him to keep his hands on the reigns and eyes-on-the-sky and Turn-By-Turn Navigation directions to help route him to the homes of the good little boys and girls around the world.
About OnStar
OnStar, a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors, is the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and communication services. OnStar is available on more than 30 MY 2010 GM models. OnStar is standard for one year on nearly all new GM retail vehicles in the United States and Canada. OnStar provides services to nearly 6 million subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. More information about OnStar can be found at http://www.onstar.com/.
About NORAD
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a bi-national United States and Canadian organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America. More information about NORAD and the NORAD Tracks Santa 2009 can be found at http://www.norad.mil and http:/ www.noradsanta.org
About General Motors
General Motors, one of the world's largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 219,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 140 countries. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 34 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's largest national market is the United States, followed by China, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Canada, Russia and Germany. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. General Motors acquired operations from General Motors Corporation on July 10, 2009, and references to prior periods in this and other press materials refer to operations of the old General Motors Corporation. More information on the new General Motors can be found at www.gm.com.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
RedTime 8:09PM (12/15/2009)
lol dumb kids still think santa is real
Reply
John H. 8:12PM (12/15/2009)
I guess a naughty kid like you never getting anything for Xmas might think that.
For the rest of us, Santa *is* real.
ALEXDB9 8:39PM (12/15/2009)
You still keppin' the puter puttin, I see. New name, same old tired comments
Oh and we were once all kids, santa although kinda of a disappointment, was the biggest part of Christmas back in the day, let the kids have their fun and keep their innocence, I'm 21 and seeing my little cousins open their presents is about the best part of Christmas. Not as good as my girl in thigh high stalkings and a santa hat though....I'm hoping santa makes that my present!
Fritz 3:48AM (12/16/2009)
Yeah, just warms the cockles to see frenzied materialism and wasteful consumption start sooner and sooner with each generation. Not to mention how fun it is lying to children in order to bring about such wonderment!
Bobmarley 8:37AM (12/16/2009)
@ Fritz
I agree...Now that I am a father (of 3) I see first hand how played up and stupid the whole Santa lie really is. Call it the joy or innocence of Christmas for kids or whatever...its a lie. I know I may sound bitter but I love Christmas.
Santa gives parents a way to threaten their kids for 3 months out of the year to be "good or else"
Santa takes away the credit from parents/grand parents for giving their kids presents
Santa takes away the joy and lesson of giving gifts
Santa costs a fortune to visit at the mall and the experience (depending on your wait) is 95% stressful and 5% Joy and a minimum charge of ~$20
Every time you talk to your kids about Santa you are lying to them
Christmas would be just as good if not better without Santa
Bob-omb 11:14AM (12/16/2009)
The idea that all of the magic and fun of the holiday season is solely linked to the existence of Santa Claus is not the best message. And it completely distorts their view of other holidays. Does the Easter Bunny exist? Hey, where's the Tooth Fairy?! IT'S ALL LIES. *sobs uncontrollably*
jpm100 8:10PM (12/15/2009)
Well...
At least no dancing fat chicks.
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Yaroukh 8:41PM (12/15/2009)
exactly my thoughts (minus "fat")
Yaroukh 8:43PM (12/15/2009)
err, therefore minus "eactly" :)
Yaroukh 8:43PM (12/15/2009)
^&*(*!!!
RG 8:19PM (12/15/2009)
Glad to know they are capping salaries to fund efforts like this.
That's right, I went there, again.
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Andy 8:20PM (12/15/2009)
Finally, I’ve been trying to assassinate him for years. They’re just making it easier :)
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versionII 8:21PM (12/15/2009)
so b/c santa's sleigh has 'onstar' some kids gonna remember and buy a GM when he gets older?!?!
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nrb 10:18PM (12/15/2009)
Exactly. You can't accuse GM of not thinking long term.
Joe Black 8:21PM (12/15/2009)
Santa is for real....brought those GM idiots a couple of billion in cash....when they deserve coal...just coal.
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John H. 10:21PM (12/15/2009)
Huh?
GM is planning to pay the loans back. Because they will be able to.
Chrysler isn't. Because they'll be bankrupt.
HotRodzNKustoms 8:24PM (12/15/2009)
Hey if I had kids and we were driving somewhere Christmas eve I would so tune in to this for them.
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montoym 2:49PM (12/16/2009)
Hell I might do it just for sh*ts and giggles since I'll probably be driving my mother's OnStar equipped car sometime during the day.
Granted, living in the shadow of NORAD, I'm used to the yearly news stories about them tracking Santa. It's always funny to watch some military PR person talk about the importance of this mission to them. They usually throw in a CGI version of Santa flying his sleigh around as well.
Even though it seems logical that NORAD would track Santa, the real reason this tradition came about is actually a bit more interesting. Back in 1955, a local Sears advertisment accidently used the wrong phone number when telling kids to call Santa and instead it was the number to the Director of Operations hotline at NORAD(then called CONAD). So, they turned that mistake into a yearly tradition.
Here are some more links ont he history of it and where to find mor einfo for anyone interested.
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/index.html - Main site
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/whytrack.html - History
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/howtrack.html - Description of how NORAD track Santa
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/track3d.html - Google Earth tracking
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NORAD_Tracks_Santa
Ben 8:47PM (12/15/2009)
Hated when my parents told me santa wasnt real, now 15 years later, i can shove this up their ass n tell them santa is real, even GM believe in it.
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Peter 6:48AM (12/16/2009)
Being 35, you should be over it by now.