As 2009 starts creeping into its final months, technology is rapidly advancing at a pace that is unbelievable to many.
Cell phones and PDAs have features that can now be used to send and store photographs, record video, play games, etc.
Likewise, cars are now equipped with features that allow drivers to do a lot more than just drive. One of these features specifically, has proven to be a life-saver.
The popular General Motors (GM) in-vehicle safety service, OnStar, has implemented a new feature, Stolen Vehicle Slowdown (SVS), to their Global Positioning System that allows a stolen vehicle to be remotely slowed to a halt.
This feature- that has not yet been offered in all GM models- is responsible for preventing a high-speed chase last week in Visalia, Calif.
Thirty-three year old Jose Ruiz and a passenger were sitting in a lit parking lot in nearby Lindsay, Calif., when they were approached by a man yielding a gun demanding them to get out of the car.
Knowing that he would be able to locate the car with the OnStar service in his new 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe, Ruiz relented and immediately called the police whom consequently notified OnStar.
“As soon as he took my car, the first thing I thought of was to call OnStar because I knew they could get it back,” Ruiz said. “It was a frightening situation, but I know it could have been a lot worse. I’m very grateful that OnStar was there for me.”
Within 16 minutes of contacting OnStar, Visalia police were able to return Ruiz’s vehicle, wallet and cell phone.
“While this was the first time that we’ve used the Stolen Vehicle Slowdown service, we have used OnStar in several other cases to help locate and recover stolen vehicles. It’s a valuable tool for our agency,” said Visalia Police Department Sgt. Steven Phillips. “In this case, it helped us not only safely recover a vehicle for a local citizen, but also prevented a dangerous high-speed chase and allowed us to quickly apprehend a suspect. It’s a win for everyone.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that 30,000 police chases occur each year, and last year alone 334 people nationwide were killed, including five police officers.
With the SVS feature, GM and OnStar hope that these numbers will decrease.
OnStar President Walt Dorfstatter said, “We are pleased to see Stolen Vehicle Slowdown working for subscribers out on the road, and are proud to be able to provide the safety and security impact that will help keep law enforcement officials and citizens safe while police are in pursuit of a stolen vehicle.”
According to OnStar, the feature works when a subscriber has reported a stolen vehicle to law enforcement and calls OnStar and requests Stolen Vehicle Assistance.
An OnStar advisor will use advanced GPS technology to pinpoint the exact location of the stolen vehicle which will be provided only to law enforcement.
Once law enforcement officials have the stolen vehicle in a clear line of sight to know conditions are safe, they can request that the OnStar advisor remotely slow it down.
OnStar will then send a signal to the vehicle’s engine, reducing engine power and gradually slowing the vehicle to idle speed while all other vehicle systems remain fully operational including power steering and brakes.
Since its launch in October of 2008, OnStar’s SVS service has been deployed 38 times in a wide variety of situations, including rental vehicles, thefts from dealers and on stationary vehicles in order to prevent a high-speed chase from potentially occurring.
The feature is available exclusively in the United States and Canada on select GM models.
GM hopes to extend the feature to be built into all models by 2010.
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