What OnStar does

OnStar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors that provides connected vehicle services — safety, security, diagnostics, connectivity, and hands-free driving assistance — through a subscription-based platform built into Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles. Founded in 1995 and commercially launched in 1996, the service combines GPS, cellular connectivity (delivered via AT&T), and over-the-air software update capabilities to deliver features including Automatic Crash Response, Stolen Vehicle Assistance with remote ignition block, in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot, remote vehicle commands, vehicle diagnostics with predictive alerts, and the Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance system.

The product portfolio is structured as a modular subscription stack: OnStar Protect (safety/security from $9.99/month), OnStar Connect (basic connectivity), OnStar Connect Plus (unlimited data, streaming), and OnStar One (bundled plan at $34.99/month for Cadillac including Super Cruise). Distribution is primarily OEM-embedded through new GM vehicle sales with trial periods of 1-3 months, complemented by direct-to-consumer e-commerce via shop.onstar.com, a mobile app, and an enterprise fleet channel. The technology stack integrates Google Built-In services (Maps, Assistant, Play, Gemini AI in new models), supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on legacy vehicles, and connects to public EV charging networks including Tesla Superchargers via NACS adapter.

The business is generating strong growth, with Q1 2026 revenue of $750 million (up more than 20% year-over-year) and management guiding to $3.1 billion for the full calendar year 2026. Super Cruise alone is targeting $400 million in 2026 subscription revenue with a base exceeding 850,000 subscribers and over 1 billion cumulative hands-free miles. OnStar operates across the United States, Canada, and Mexico (300,000 connected vehicles), serving individual consumers and fleet operators, but has faced material regulatory headwinds — including a $12.75 million California CCPA settlement (the largest in state history), an FTC 20-year consent order restricting data sharing, and additional state AG actions — that constrain its data monetization pathway and elevate compliance costs.

Name

OnStar

Legal name

OnStar LLC

Website

https://onstar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

OnStar is General Motors' wholly-owned connected vehicle services subsidiary, delivering subscription-based safety, security, diagnostics, connectivity, and hands-free driving assistance (Super Cruise) to Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac owners across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Connected Vehicle Services

NAICS

Automotive Mechanical and Electrical Repair and Maintenance (81111)

SIC

Services-Automotive Repair, Services & Parking (7500)

akta.pro primary industry

Vehicle Services On‑Demand Platforms (Car Wash, Maintenance, Roadside) (BPAMAHAL)

Keywords

• Connected vehicle services
• Vehicle telematics platform
• In-vehicle safety services
• Hands-free driving technology
• Automotive connectivity subscriptions

Headquarters

HQ city

Warren

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Connected Vehicle Service Subscriptions: Monthly and annual subscription plans for connected vehicle services including safety, security, and connectivity features. Plans include OnStar One (bundled), OnStar Protect, OnStar Connect, OnStar Connect Plus, and Super Cruise add-on.
2. Super Cruise Subscription: Super Cruise hands-free driving subscription revenue, with subscribers on pace to exceed 850,000 by year-end and 30-40% renewal rates. Target of $400 million in subscription revenue in 2026.
3. Data Plans (AT&T Partnership): Data plans provided through AT&T partnership for in-vehicle Wi-Fi Hotspot connectivity. Revenue generated from data plan subscriptions.
4. Public Charging Services: Revenue from public EV charging sessions through the OnStar app, including energy fees, idle fees, and congestion fees at public charging stations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

OnStar provides subscription-based connected vehicle services through hardware embedded in General Motors vehicles, delivering 24/7 emergency response, automatic crash notification, stolen vehicle recovery, hands-free highway driving via Super Cruise, in-vehicle Wi-Fi, remote vehicle commands, diagnostics, and over-the-air software updates. The platform is sold via tiered plans (Protect, Connect, Connect Plus, and the bundled One plan) bundled with new Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac vehicles and offered directly to consumers online and via mobile apps.

Product overview

OnStar is a connected vehicle services platform offered by General Motors providing safety, security, connectivity, and autonomous driving assistance through a modular subscription model. The core product portfolio includes OnStar One (bundled plan combining all services), OnStar Protect (safety and security services including emergency response, crash notification, stolen vehicle assistance, and roadside help), and OnStar Connect Plus (connectivity and entertainment including Wi-Fi hotspot, streaming services, and remote vehicle control). Super Cruise provides hands-free driver assistance technology. The OnStar Guardian app extends safety services beyond the vehicle to smartphones and can be shared with up to seven family members. Additional services include Vehicle Diagnostics (health monitoring and predictive maintenance alerts), Public Charging (for EV owners), Turn-by-Turn Navigation, Crisis Assist, and Vehicle Software Updates (over-the-air updates). Services are available across Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac vehicle brands with subscription plans starting at $9.99/month. The platform integrates Google built-in services (Maps, Assistant, Play) and supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone projection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OnStar One The flagship all-in-one subscription bundle combining OnStar Protect (safety and security services) and OnStar Connect Plus (connectivity and entertainment) into a single plan at a discounted price compared to purchasing separately. Priced at $34.99/month for Cadillac vehicles.
• OnStar Protect Safety and security plan providing 24/7 emergency response, automatic crash notification, stolen vehicle assistance, roadside assistance, and access to the OnStar Guardian app for protection in and outside the vehicle. Starting at $9.99/month.
• OnStar Connect Connectivity plan providing in-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot access, remote commands via smartphone, voice assistant, and navigation features from the vehicle display. Entry-level connectivity tier.
• OnStar Connect Plus Enhanced connectivity tier including everything in OnStar Connect plus the in-vehicle Wi-Fi Hotspot with unlimited data, video streaming, games, and internet browser. Unlimited data supports up to 18 simultaneous device connections.
• Super Cruise Hands-free driver assistance technology enabling automated driving on compatible mapped highways, including automatic lane changing, adaptive cruise control, and Google Maps-compatible route planning. Has surpassed 1 billion hands-free miles driven across nearly 750,000 vehicles.
• OnStar Guardian App Mobile application extending OnStar safety services beyond the vehicle to smartphones. Provides mobile crash response, roadside assistance, emergency services, and location sharing for up to seven family members. Included with OnStar Protect and OnStar One plans.
• OnStar Fleet Fleet management solution providing connected vehicle services for business vehicle fleets, including additional data collection, handling practices, and dedicated terms and privacy statements specific to fleet operations.
• Public Charging Service enabling EV owners to locate, navigate to, and pay for public charging sessions through the OnStar application. Supports various charging networks including Tesla Superchargers via NACS adapter, with energy fees, idle fees, and congestion fees applied per session.

Quantifiable outcome

• Super Cruise has exceeded 1 billion hands-free miles driven across nearly 750,000 vehicles.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability11 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AT&TcoreTechnology or Integration
• GooglecoreTechnology or Integration
• LexisNexis Risk SolutionsminorOthers
• Verisk AnalyticsminorOthers

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Verizon Connect: Verizon's fleet telematics and connected vehicle services division serving commercial fleets with vehicle tracking, driver behavior monitoring, and fleet management software. Broader portfolio than OnStar Fleet with focus on enterprise customers across multiple OEM brands rather than consumer subscriptions.
• Geotab: Leading fleet telematics provider offering GPS tracking, driver behavior analytics, and fleet optimization for commercial customers across multiple industries. Overlaps with OnStar Fleet as broader fleet management incumbent rather than consumer-facing connected services.

Direct peers

• Stellantis Uconnect: Stellantis's connected vehicle platform spanning Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Fiat brands. Offers emergency response, remote commands, Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM Guardian services comparable to OnStar's offerings with similar subscription pricing and bundled feature approach.
• HondaLink: Honda's connected vehicle services platform providing remote start, security alarm, diagnostics, and 24/7 concierge features. Comparable subscription-based model serving Honda and Acura vehicle owners with similar safety, security, and connectivity offerings to OnStar.
• Tesla Premium Connectivity: Tesla's in-vehicle connectivity subscription providing streaming, live traffic, satellite-view maps, and over-the-air updates. Differentiates via EV-native architecture and bundled FSD/Autopilot offerings as competitive pressure on Super Cruise and an EV-focused alternative model.
• Mercedes me: Mercedes-Benz's connected ecosystem offering remote vehicle control, navigation, concierge services, and over-the-air updates. Comparable premium connected services with Drive Pilot hands-free driving competing directly with OnStar in luxury segment.
• Hyundai Blue Link: Hyundai's connected car services including remote start, automatic crash notification, stolen vehicle recovery, and remote climate control. Comparable subscription-based model with bundled safety, security, and connectivity features competing directly with OnStar's tier structure.
• Toyota Connected Services: Toyota's suite of connected services including Safety Connect, Service Connect, Remote Connect, and Destination Assist. Comparable subscription-based connected vehicle platform with emergency response, stolen vehicle tracking, remote start, and Wi-Fi hotspot offerings similar to OnStar's portfolio.
• Ford SYNC: Ford's in-vehicle connected services platform offering SYNC infotainment, FordPass remote commands, BlueCruise hands-free driving, and 911 Assist emergency services. Most direct US competitor to OnStar, with parallel subscription-based connected vehicle services targeting Ford and Lincoln vehicle owners.
• BMW Connected Drive: BMW's premium connected services platform providing concierge, remote services, real-time traffic, and intelligent personal assistant. Comparable high-end connected vehicle services competing directly with OnStar's Cadillac offering in the luxury segment with similar hands-free driving roadmap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/onstar
• YouTubeyoutube.com/onstar
• Facebookfacebook.com/onstar
• Instagraminstagram.com/onstar
• Pinterestpinterest.com/OnStar/_created
• TikToktiktok.com/@onstar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/onstar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OnStar