It doesn’t matter which brand you purchase from: moving parts fail. As long as we’re utilizing gasoline, and even electricity, parts will always need replacing. General Motors has developed a new system to help curb surprise breakdowns, however.
According to Automotive News, GM quietly rolled out a new connected-car technology to monitor various key components and warn of potential part failure. The system, called Proactive Alerts, watches the life cycle of the battery, starter and fuel pump each time the engine turns over.
Proactive Alerts will alert drivers via OnStar that the vehicle is in need of service if the system finds a component is failing.
The report states the system went live on April 19 as an additional free option on the Cadillac Escalade, GMC Sierra, Yukon and Terrain and Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, Corvette and Equinox. It will eventually be expanded to cover GM’s entire lineup, said GM spokesman Alan Adler. However, a buyer must request the option.
Proactive Alerts has been in development for 10 years, and will eventually expand to the alternator and other electrical components in time. GM provided no set timetable on when we’ll see the service expand.
Comments
Are these preset trends or does the system monitor the condition of the components in real time?
If it’s preset trends (after 3,000 starts the starter fails) then the system is worthless. But if the system actually monitors how the components are working and can detect that it’s going to fail in a very short time then it’s worth all the money GM used to come up with this system.
This is what GM should be spending it’s money on, systems that can really help people drive their cars and trucks with confidence that it will make it to it’s destination. Not some gadget that sprays water on a head light!
Is this just for new cars or will this system work for my 2015?
These systems are easy to do with OBDII computers. So many systems are monitored by todays computers that the sensors on many of the car can detect if there is a problem or pending failure due to the readings of the part of related sensor.
Battery issues can be detected if the computer is program to alert about drop in voltage at starts or during high use. High starter draws can detect if a starter is failing.
Todays computers are hooked onto to so many systems and the computers continue to be more and more able to have more information processed. Even todays radio’s are programed into the cars computer and can even set a code if it is having an issue.
I expect to see much more of his soon as the computers are programed to read these things and send warnings.
This is not an estimated preset trend deals this is based on real reading from the engine the computer is programed to bench mark.
We have had this already on limited items now. Your check engine light goes off when ever a sensor goes bad like a O2 sensor. What they will do not is program it to go off when the performance degrades to send a warning and apply it to many other parts on the car.
Note too they will make this so it will also send it to your phone or even your dealer.