GM is bringing ads and promos to your car
Just in case you aren't getting enough commercial promotions in your email inbox, you may now start seeing them in your car.
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas starting today, General Motors (GM) will demonstrate its AtYourService feature that will work with its OnStar, GM's subscription service for navigation direction and emergency help. (Full OnStar service costs $29.90 a month or $299 per year.)
You'll trigger the commercial onslaught if you ask OnStar for directions -- an action that happens 35 million time a year in the U.S. and Canada, according to GM. If you're near a Dunkin' Donuts (DNKN), for instance, the system will send you promotions for discount Dunkin' deals.
Other OnStar partners include coupon providers RetailMeNot and Entertainment Book. Parkopedia will provide parking information and deals.
With Priceline (PCLN), you'll be able to book a hotel room at your destination through OnStar's advisors without stopping the car.
"We were seeing a growing segment of our business with Priceline users making same-day reservations while driving in their cars," said Randy Schatner, president of the Priceline Partners Network. "Making Priceline hotels available to drivers through OnStar in a safe and secure way can help Priceline consumers and GM drivers to become one and the same."
The new service results from GM's adoption of the new 4G LTE cellular technology. The same system will let you turn your car into a rolling WiFi hot spot with connectivity for up to seven onboard devices.
And GM executives indicate they aim to keep developing new services tied to 4G LTE. Said Mark Lloyd, consumer online officer for OnStar: "We will continue to innovate in ways that make our customers' time on the road more efficient and convenient."
