OnStar debuts Remote Ignition Block to shut down stolen vehicles
By Donald Melanson 
posted Jul 22nd 2009 6:48AM
posted Jul 22nd 2009 6:48AM
OnStar's already rolled out a method for slowing down stolen vehicles once the cops have 'em in sight, and it looks like it's now come up with a solution for the ones that get away as well. Dubbed Remote Ignition Block, the new sevice does just what it promises and uses GPS to prevent the vehicle from starting again once the ignition has been turned off. As with most of these systems, however, the police will first have to confirm that the vehicle is in fact stolen before OnStar flips the switch, so you'll have to come up with something else for your next grand workplace prank. No word on specifics just, but OnStar says it'll be making the service available on over two million GM 2009 and 2010 model year vehicles.
I can't believe that OnStar are the first to do this.
I thought most American cars already had this function built-in. Usually after a few years, the car will automatically and without intervention either slow down or fail to start.
LAWL
LoJack I think was the first.
This is going to put repo guys out of business.
IMHO, good,
Because you know, everrrrrrrry vechicle has not only an Onstar button, but the service enabled. Yep, hmmm Yesss, you are smarts~!
I live in the motor city, and I heard about this, I also heard there is a way around it... as there is almost anything. Not a bad idea, I know it wont do any good around in Detroit that much.
Yeah, if you know where the OnStar box is in the vehicle then it is easy to unplug.
Could this be the thing that saves the American automotive industry?
no
Am I the only one bothered with the possibility that some bored teenage twit may be able to shut down my car once he hacks into Onstar's system? First amazon with their kindle fiasco and now this. What next? Tracker implants?
Worried about being stranded at the adult bookstore?
He can't "hack" your OnStar system. Worst he could do would be to break in and unplug it.
It would only take a little keyboard legwork to figure out what the shutdown command is. From there you only need an antennae.
They need to modify this thing so it shuts off the engine when the driver starts chatting or texting on a cellphone.
Can't you just hit a parking garage or something that would block the signal? And Im sure chop shop vets will find a way around it anyway, this is cool, but only going to stop the common theif, not the serious guys.
The article is incorrect in stating that the system "uses GPS" to prevent the car from starting. OnStar uses a cellular modem for two-way communication, which would work just fine in a parking garage.
That is true, if a massive attack happened, all vehicles could stop dead on the highway causin all sorts of panic, not cool. So lets hope onstar is secure as f**k. :)
They won't stop dead on the highway because this happens after the ignition is turned off and the next attempt to turn it on.
GM has done a lot of things wrong...but I got to tell you, OnStar is a pretty sweat service. Have it on my 08 CTS and really enjoy the features and integration with the rest of the electronics in the car...
Forget the remote shutoff.
What I want is an automatic 750 volt shock-device that prevents people from touching the car at all, and an automatic laser cannon fired at the tires of whatever vehicle hits mine when I'm not around to see it.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120347/
Pierce Brosnan's had that mess for years. If you get that model, you also get a PPK with fingerprint recognition in the glovebox.. oh, and invulnerability to sledgehammers.
My friend welcome to OCP's "MagnaVolt"..LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyuKEK7wmsw
This new feature should be called OffStar
Somebody didn't read the press release. It doesn't use GPS to prevent it from starting, it uses GPS to locate it, then "sends a remote signal" to prevent it from starting. I'm pretty sure that it's not even possible to use GPS for such a thing, considering that it doesn't make any connection with any particular devices...Or transmit any data besides the time of transmission and the status of the satellites.
Correct. Most people really do not understand how GPS works. The satellites are simply broadcasting a continuous and highly accurate time signal, as well as information about exactly where they're at.
One more reason not to buy a GM product.
Meh... First GM needs to lower the price of Onstar before it will really take off.
What I find really funny though is that people think that by not buying GM products or vehicles, they are sticking it to the "corporate fat-cats" that bankrupted the company. When in actuality, all you are doing is strengthening Foreign Auto Companies and putting american workers on unemployment.
Those wealthy executives will survive if GM really goes down and has to liquidate it's assets. Stockholders will get paid. But the thousands of workers without jobs won't survive.
Well. maybe if the folks building the cars didn't have that union behind them paying out huge salaries for doing work that a 14 year old could do... then maybe the American Auto Industry wouldn't have the issues it is struggling through today.
"Those wealthy executives will survive if GM really goes down and has to liquidate it's assets. Stockholders will get paid. But the thousands of workers without jobs won't survive."
Really? nOMG man. The losses are coming from the employees, not the executives. You must be one of the over-payed, under-educated, and (preferably) un-employed line workers. Go get another job, and be thankful the gravy train ran as long as it did.
>When in actuality, all you are doing is strengthening Foreign Auto Companies and putting american workers on unemployment.
So Honda, Toyota, Subaru, and other "foreign" automobile companies don't employ Americans?
And so what if these companies are "strengthened"? That's the way free market capitalism works: companies compete to make the highest quality product at the cheapest price. If American automobile companies made the best product, they would have the most sales.
Man, I hate that stupid argument. It's almost as bad as "immigrants are stealing our jobs".
If LoJack is still around I imagine they are very sad today.
The IRS for Car Payments: The same technology could be used to shut down your car if you do not make a payment. I would not recommend buying GM cars just because the company decisions' will be made largely in Washington. In addition, the company will be backed by the US government to a large extent, and therefore, will be less susptible to price changes as a result of supply and demand.
Wow that's a lot of crock my friend. Haven't you heard the news lately the New GM is getting out of bankruptcy so the government won't be owning then for long also. If the government got you worry then you best stop living in this country,Stop buying Bonds,Food,Drugs and every other thing the government is part of. To put it another way move as far as you can out of the us. Now back to the rational Talk that feature from On star needs to be made free of charge and that will bring down the insurance prices. Specially if you live in Newark NJ..LOL
Fine but i am waiting for MagnaVolt ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyuKEK7wmsw )
And it wont even run down your battery!
MagnaVolt Rocks...LOL
I can see someone pissing off one of the onstar workers and they get at you back by shutting down your car's engine.
They didn't already have this? Onstar came out in what the mid 90's?
Way to get that tech developed GM...
there's a typo... "service"
Lol this is sad! Didn't these guys do it years ago with no monthly fees. Pay as you go? It's already being used to recover the vehicle.
http://www.pyterra.com
Wow a few people actually think the US government is going to relese control of GM soon, not likely. You do realize that GM is still in bankrupcy and all GM stock is worthless. The new GM is a new company owned by the US government and the UAW. The real GM has been changed to Automotive Liquidation Corporation and will be in bankruptcy for years. The US government hopes to make a few billion through an IPO of New GM stock in a few years.
The US government now has the ability to disable your car at will. Perhaps if you don't make your mortgage payment to government owned banks or Fannie and Freddie. Or maybe you don't file your taxes properly.
Obama is making 1984 a reality. It's almost his mission statement.
Can you add OnStar to a different vehicle than one purchased with onstar built in? Such as my Nissan Xterra?
Thanks
Lane
Nope.
Just wait until your auto finance company finds out about this and shuts off your ignitiion until you bring your loan current.
Oh wait....they already know about this!!
michael in sj
just one more reason not to buy GM
neat
BUYER BEWARE!!!! gm DOES NOT SUPPORT EARYLY ADOPTERS OR LOYAL CUSTOMERS!!!
and why the F has it taken so long for someone to implement something like this - geeeeeez. what's happened to our world of engineering. i remember thinking about doing this way back.
If someone isn't fortunate enough to have this installed and comes across this blog, you should simply report your stole car on http://www.stolen-property.com/
It's a free, easy-to-use stolen property database.