Friday, April 27, 2007

Mapquest and OnStar Partner

location based services

Mapquest and OnStar are in a new partnership that allows Mapquest users to send their directions to their OnStar service. Map out your destination and hit "Send to OnStar" to get your turn by turn directions with voice prompts. You will be able to store up to 5 destinations which can be retreived at any time. This is a pretty good service, but at a GPS user, I would love to be able to see where I am going instead of just "hearing" where I am going.

Press Release follows...

GM’s OnStar and MapQuest announced today a collaboration that will allow OnStar subscribers to plan their driving route on MapQuest.com and send their destination right to OnStar’s easy to use Turn-by-Turn Navigation service. This new Turn-by-Turn service enhancement, OnStar Web Destination Entry, will allow subscribers to conveniently use MapQuest.com to research and plan their driving destinations with more than 15 million points-of-interest available through the number one mapping Web site.

General Motors and OnStar, the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and communication services, are making the simplest and smartest navigation service, OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation, available to more than 2 million vehicles in 2007 and an additional 3 million vehicles in 2008. This availability allows GM to offer the most navigation options across more vehicle segments and price ranges than any other vehicle manufacturer. MapQuest is the leading online mapping and directions destination and one of the most trusted and widely used brands on the Web. *

“Our 10 years of experience have taught us that life happens when you’re driving,” said OnStar President Chet Huber. “The value of OnStar Web Destination Entry, which combines the powerfully-simple technology of OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation with the leading consumer Web site for maps and directions, MapQuest®, is added flexibility for our subscribers. The new service enhancement will allow them to use the Web to plan their destination while having the freedom to start the journey from wherever they want.”

OnStar and MapQuest will start a Web Destination Entry pilot program in the summer of 2007 with a select group of OnStar subscribers. Targeted for late 2007, OnStar Web Destination Entry will be available to all OnStar subscribers with Turn-by-Turn Navigation-capable vehicles.

“One of our goals at MapQuest is to make it convenient and easy for our users to plan their journey on their desktop computers and send the information to their cars. We are thrilled to be working with the world’s largest auto manufacturer to bring our great services to OnStar customers,” said Jim Greiner, Senior Vice President and General Manager of MapQuest. “This represents another example of how we are extending our ability to help consumers access MapQuest® services whenever and wherever they need them.”