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OnStar logoAccording to an AP story, beginning in 2009, police chasing new General Motors' (NYSE: GM) cars equipped with the OnStar system will be able to remotely take control over the car's accelerator, slowing it to a safe stop, perhaps while broadcasting a warning to the perp over the car radio.

The technology is already established. You've probably seen the Tiger Woods ad for General Motors, where he's locked out of his car only to discover that, through GM's OnStar service, the company can remotely unlock his car for him. The service also offers hands-free calling, GPS directions, vehicle diagnostics, and feedback on your makeup and hair.

The OnStar service is already used to track equipped stolen cars, leading to the recovery of hundreds each month. The fly in the ointment here, though, is that owners of these cars will have to buy into the $200-a-year OnStar package after the initial free first year, and the company has only a 60% conversion rate to date. I wouldn't be surprised, however, to see insurance companies lowering rates for OnStar-equipped cars, which would help offset the cost.

Given this capability, I wonder how receptive parents would be to installing such control devices on their teenager's cars. I can imagine them sitting at home, remotely putting their foot on the brake whenever the child appears to be speeding, all the while passing along "helpful" hints via the car radio. For businesses, perhaps company cars could be controlled to deny the driver the ability to stop near golf courses or girlie bars.

The continued development of this technology seems to keep us on the path toward turning over control of our vehicles to a wireless network. Is that a good or bad thing?

GM plans end to hot pursuit originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Oct 2007 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tiger Woods has been the face of General Motors's (NYSE: GM) Buick brand since 1999, but that's about to change. Faced with increasing competition for leaner overseas competitors, GM has decided it can get more mileage out of Tiger by using him with corporate level marketing, especially OnStar, a navigation service available in all eight of GM's brands.

The change makes perfect sense because it will allow GM to use Woods to sell all its cars, not just Buicks. But I have to disagree with some of the analysis of the decision. According to marketing expert Laura Ries, "The brand personalities just didn't go together, like oil and water," she said. "Buick is an older person's car. Tiger is very young, very cool and at the top of his game. You imagine him driving a Bentley or a Mercedes or a Lexus."

I think that is actually a big part of what made Tiger such an effective spokesman. Let's face it: Youth is in and even if the average age of a Buick driver is 61, I would bet that most Buick drivers don't want to think about that. Using Tiger Woods, who is young and cool, helped to revitalize that brand

As Mark LaNeve, Vice President of North American sales at GM said: "Tiger's a great asset. We can use him in lots of ways. Why shouldn't we use him in ways other than Buick?"

That's why the switch makes sense, and GM needs all the help it can get in remaining relevant.

GM moves Tiger Woods over to OnStar originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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