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GM And Google Cloud Collaborate On AI Technology For OnStar Interactive Virtual Assistant

GM provided fresh details of its collaboration with Google Cloud to bring new artificial intelligence (AI) technology to its OnStar Interactive Virtual Assistant (IVA), a process that has been ongoing since the companies teamed up in 2019 to further develop the feature.

Google Cloud’s Dialogflow conversational AI technology is currently powering the OnStar virtual assistant, which The General says is currently providing answers to more than a million owner questions monthly in North America.

The blue OnStar button.

The blue OnStar button

The OnStar virtual assistant, accessible via the non‑emergency OnStar blue button, provides several useful features for owners of 2015 model year or later GM vehicles. The IVA can help with navigation, providing vehicle owners with “turn-by-turn” directions and other guidance. The virtual assistant also listens for verbal cues indicating there is an emergency and connects to OnStar emergency advisors if it hears these phrases.

Additionally, powered by the improved Dialogflow technology from Google Cloud, the OnStar assistant provides answers to various questions about GM products. This includes giving instructions on how to operate technology features in the current vehicle, along with answering more generalized questions, the query “tell me more about GM’s 2024 EV lineup” being used as an example by GM.

The OnStar logo.

Use of Google Cloud technology has also enabled GM to use a more natural human voice for OnStar, according to The General. Vehicle owners feel more comfortable with the recent OnStar voice, per GM claims. As a result, customers are more comfortable having navigation questions answered by the AI, leaving human OnStar advisors free to handle more crucial, emergency-related calls.

The General also hints at plans to develop new conveniences available through the OnStar IVA. Software and Services vice president, Mike Abbott, remarked that “generative AI has the potential to revolutionize the buying, ownership, and interaction experience inside the vehicle and beyond, enabling more opportunities to deliver new features and services.”

GM Renaissance Center headquarters.

GM announced in March that it is expanding standard availability of the OnStar Remote Access (RPO code PRF) to all 2024 Buick and GMC models, This three-year OnStar plan was already offered on most Chevy vehicles starting with the 2023 model year. The OnStar Premium Plan (RPO code R9M) will be optional on most trims but standard on the range-topping Buick Avenir and GMC Denali trims.

However, OnStar availability has officially ended for 2014 and earlier GM model years as of the end of calendar 2022.

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Comments

  1. ah great more spyware.

    Reply
  2. I have a ’23 Sierra and I have grown to hate the Google platform in the infotainment system…but this is only the start of GM not doing what is in the best interests of their customers. GM still can’t fix the bug that randomly causes all of the sound coming from the speakers to stop randomly in their newer Google-based radio’s. But, rest assured, GM is supposedly working on a new system that is better than CarPlay…ugh.

    Reply
    1. Did they give you a case number and promise to follow up or is that treatment reserved only for dealers.

      Reply
  3. Sorry folks if your having trouble, it should be much easier. I have CarPlay in my 17, and love it, but although the 50+ crowd has the bucks, the under 50 folks got the smarts, and GM is thinking about them (as they should) in the future of infotainment. This is evolving, stay tuned….

    Reply
  4. As long as I’m ablE to plug in my phonE and can hEar it through thE spEakErs, I’ll bE happy.
    ApplE CarPlay has and always will bE garbagE. REmains truE in my 21 and 23. GooglE is garbagE in my 23.
    I just plug in my phonE and use a good ol vEnt clip for my phonE… PErfEct.
    It has nEvEr madE sEnsE to mE to pay a monthly fEE for a phonE that doEs EvErything I nEEd and thEn pay a monthly fEE for my car to do thE samE thing but not nEarly as wEll. But pEoplE do and will continuE to pay for both so of coursE automakErs will cash in on that.

    Reply
  5. Really GM … another computer driven “fad” that we don’t need. I’ve driven over 50 years, and with the exception of a factory nav/system or heated seats … nothing any of the Big Three has has offered been really game changers. How about GM bring back the Astro/Safari which I’d buy TODAY if they were available. One other thing … put a dern CD player back in the cars.

    Reply
  6. OnStar is junk these days. What ever services they offer today, get ready for them to cancel it all in a few years.

    Reply
  7. Why have OnStar if you have a iPhone? You should be able to sink your GM vehicle with your iPhone hot spot. OnStar is a useless additional monthly expense to owning a GM vehicle.

    Reply
    1. What you have asked doesn’t make sense. Apparently, you don’t know a lot about OnStar.

      Reply
      1. OK, then enlighten us – what IMPORTANT functions does OnStar provide that a phone can’t provide? I’ve tried to look this up and I don’t see any IMPORTANT functions.

        For GM, OnStar fees are a great source of income/profits.

        GM is trying to make a case that OnStar will provide updated software for autonomous driving, but, if you think about it, GM has to keep the maps and software current in any case, to install it on new vehicles. Updating legacy users/purchasers of SuperCruise (for example) is OTA, essentially costing GM nothing to update, just as Google and Apple update maps and software for free for users, on a continuous, on-going basis.

        Why does GM charge for updates to OnStar where Apple, Google/Android, and Microsoft/Windows, do not charge for updates and software fixes?

        Reply

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