General Motors Introduces OnStar Guardian App for use Outside of Vehicles

General Motors Co. in Detroit has launched OnStar Guardian, a new app that allows members with active OnStar service plans to access safety services from their phones no matter where they are or what vehicle they are in.
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OnStar Guardian app
GM has launched OnStar Guardian, a safety app that can be used in any location. // Image courtesy of General Motors Co.

General Motors Co. in Detroit has launched OnStar Guardian, a new app that allows members with active OnStar service plans to access safety services from their phones no matter where they are or what vehicle they are in.

OnStar Guardian will be available in the United States and Canada and will be complimentary for six months for OnStar members who redeem the offer by July 31. The app includes access to select OnStar safety features such as mobile crash response, roadside assistance, emergency services, and location status.

Coming at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people’s day-to-day lives, GM hopes that OnStar Guardian will make it easier for members to safely move around. The app brings family location sharing and live adviser access to new scenarios, including during walks home after dark, time spent in a rideshare or rented vehicle, or when a child is riding in a friend’s car.

“When it’s time for people to get back out in the world, we want to help them feel safe,” says Jeff Haase, head of OnStar Guardian and GM Global Innovation. “OnStar Guardian reimagines what it means to have OnStar protection – it’s no longer a technology that is solely tied to the vehicle. This app helps OnStar members and their loved ones be safe out there using the power of OnStar, no matter what vehicle they are in.”

Among the featured services is mobile crash response, which is designed to use smartphone sensors to help detect a crash and alert an emergency-certified OnStar adviser to connect with first responders regardless of what car the user is travelling in. The mobile crash response service can only connect to an OnStar adviser automatically on Android devices.

The red emergency button in the app gives access to an OnStar emergency-certified adviser who can assess the situation, contact first responders if needed, provide medical instruction, and stay on the line until help arrives. Roadside assistance can also be requested through the app in the event of a flat tire, lock out, or dead car battery.

A new location status feature is also available on the app. This feature, found under the “My Family” section of the app, gives members and loved ones they select the option to share their location with a selected group while also being able to view the location of others.

OnStar members can check their eligibility and redeem the complimentary OnStar Guardian offer at onstar.com/guardian. OnStar was launched in 1996 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of GM Holdings LLC.