Tag Archives: OnStar

5 Star Safety Score For The 2014 Chevrolet Impala

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Last month, we were excited to announce that General Motors topped the list for the 2013 J.D. Power Awards with Chevrolet and GMC being the only non-luxury brands to rank in the top 5.  Well, it’s another first for Chevrolet with the redesigned 2014 Impala receiving a five-star safety score.  This score is the highest possible five-star overall vehicle score for safety, as part of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program.2014impala

So what makes the Impala so outstanding?  Well, it offers a variety of safety features that are attributed to this ranking.  The Collision Mitigation Braking allows for radar technology to sense traffic in front of the vehicle to adjust the vehicle speed, including stopping the vehicle in traffic and accelerating again after.  This is the first time that such a feature has been offered in a Chevrolet.  Some additional features include: forward collision alert, lane departure warning, side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert, rear vision camera with dynamic guidelines, ultrasonic rear park assist, brake pre-fill feature, hill hold/start assist and full-speed-range-adaptive cruise control.  The 2014 Impala’s also come with 10 standard airbags and OnStar, providing you with an additional sense of comfort.  OnStar’s GPS and cellular phone technology will automatically call for help in case of a crash.

Gay Kent, GM general director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness had the following to say. “Safety is a key consideration for all car buyers, and Impala sets a new benchmark for Chevrolet’s flagship sedan.  The 2014 Chevrolet Impala is designed to provide excellent crash safety, and offers customers several safety technologies not previously available in Chevrolet.”

If you haven’t had the opportunity to experience the 2014 Impala for yourself, we welcome you to either of our Chevrolet dealerships: Queenston on Centennial or Queenston on the Mountain.  Come and take a test drive today in the award winning Impala and see exactly what it has to offer.

By: Amy Cochren

Credit: Chevrolet Canada, GM Canada

OnStar Family Link Service

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Have you every worried about a loved one who is making a long trip or driving in poor weather conditions? Maybe you have a new driver in the family and want to ensure their safety.  Now you can have peace of mind with OnStar Family Link.  This service is an opt-in extension to your monthly OnStar subscription and is made available to you for a nominal fee.  With no limit to the number of vehicles you can add, you will always be able to track your vehicle on the road without bothering the driver.

Upon sign up, you will be given direct access to the location of your vehicle by viewing a map, as well as the ability to schedule email or text message notifications with Family Link’s unique “Vehicle Location Alert”.  You can even personalize the system by setting the day, time and frequency of your alerts.

This year in the United States, OnStar was awarded a 2013 Silver Edison Award for the Family Link service.  Jon Lauckner, GM’s chief technology officer and vice-president of Global Research & Development was quoted as saying “These awards reaffirm our ability to lead in the transformation of the automotive industry with a commitment to innovation that benefits our customers around the globe”.

If you are interested in subscribing to this feature, please sign up at www.onstar.com/familylink and make sure to visit our award winning vehicles equipped with OnStar at www.queenstonchev.com

By: Amy Cochren

GM Canada

Canadianautodealer.ca

4G LTE Coming to a GM Vehicle Near You

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Imagine getting into your vehicle, and having your connectivity transformed to a whole new level. That is where General Motors in partnership with OnStar and AT&T, are hoping to go by bringing 4G LTE to future GM vehicles. The speedy mobile data speed will be available in select 2015 models in the U.S and Canada.4G LTE

“We’re making a global commitment to embed 4G LTE mobile broadband across all of our vehicles,” Mary Chan, president of GM’s Global Connected Consumer, said in an interview. “This is the largest commercial deployment of 4G LTE services in the auto industry.”

GM is aiming to offer embedded connectivity in their vehicles, so drivers will not have to rely only on their mobile phones for connectedness.

LTE (long term evolution) is a high speed wireless technology that is a step above 3G. LTE allows users to download, stream and upload music and videos about 10 times faster than 3G. Built-in 4G LTE connections will allow a wider range of in-vehicle communications and entertainment capabilities such as in-car video streaming entertainment, real time updates and faster application downloads.

This advancement will undoubtedly help the mobile world connect to the automotive world in a way that will revolutionize how consumers use the internet.

To check out the latest General Motors vehicles please visit us at www.queenstonchev.com

By Nerissa Mohamed
Source: GM Canada

2013 Chevrolet Spark

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The Spark is so action packed; you would never know it is the first mini-car from Chevrolet!  Aside from the eccentric colour pallet – Jalapeno, Salsa Red, Denim, Techno Pink and Lemonade – Chevy’s new vehicle has been coined as a “small engine in the big city”. The 1.2L, 4 cylinder engine with variable valve timing allows the Spark to run more efficiently by conserving fuel.  Another fantastic feature is the Hill Start Assist, which keeps the brake engaged while your foot switches from the brake to the gas pedal on inclines.   

This 5 door, 4 passenger mini car is easy to park and so much fun, you will be offering to drive your friends everywhere! Although the Spark is small, it is surprisingly roomy and high volume for its size.  With the 7 inch Chevrolet MyLink display screen, you have everything at your fingertips. MyLink allows you to get directions, take phone calls, watch movies and listen to your favourite music. This car has so much to offer, it is without a doubt an attractive option for anyone who is in the market for a small, economy minded car.

If you are interested in the Spark or any of the vehicles in our award winning Chevrolet line-up, please visit us at http://www.queenstonchev.com

By: Amy Cochren

Credit: GM Canada

Distracted Driving: How you can prevent it!

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We all know that distracted driving is dangerous, but are we aware how dangerous it truly is?  Ontarians have now had a couple years to get used to the “new” law, banning hand held devices while driving, yet we continually see people texting, using their mp3 players, GPS units and the like.  The law, which was put in place on October 26, 2009, makes it illegal for drivers to talk, dial, email or text using hand held devices.  Additionally, it prohibits drivers from viewing display screens that are not related to operation of the vehicle.

Do you know your crash odds?
People texting while driving are 23 times more likely.
People talking on a cell while driving are 4 to 5 times more likely.
People who read while driving are 3 times more likely.
Individuals applying makeup while operating a vehicle are 3 times more likely.
Individuals reaching for a moving object while driving makes you 9 times more likely.
Dialing on a mobile device makes you 3 times more likely.

What is alarming given these statistics is how many people don’t take this offence seriously.  According to a study completed at the University of Utah, distraction caused by cell phones or mobile devices delay someone’s reaction time the same as an individual driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08.  Furthermore, driver distraction is a factor in about 4 million motor vehicle accidents in North America each year.

In recent years we have seen a great improvement with in vehicle technology. Most new vehicles are now equipped with devices such as; Bluetooth, OnStar and HondaLink.  These are all programs that can help drivers embrace the new distracted driving laws. There are also new smartphone applications that have been made available to drivers.  One such app is called “Text Ya Later,” (Android only) which allows you to create a message letting others know that you are driving and will text them later.  This message can be set so that it is automatically delivered when activated.  Another application, more suited to parents, is “Mobile Tattletale”. (For a list of supported devices, click here)  When installed on a mobile device and the driver is moving, Tattletale will generate a warning message to the parent’s phone, giving them the ability to temporarily disable their child’s mobile device until the vehicle has come to a stop.  Keep in mind that while these new technologies are helpful, for your safety and those around you, it is best to keep your eyes on the road and save the distractions for later.

If you are interested in purchasing a new vehicle or would like more information on OnStar or HondaLink, please visit us at www.imagehonda.com and www.queenstonchev.com

By: Amy Cochren

Credit:

CAA http://distracteddriving.caa.ca/education/index.php
MTO http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/distracted-driving/index
Ontario Provincial Police http://www.opp.ca/ecms/index.php?id=545
go.drive www.godrivemag.com
http://mobiletattletale.com/supported-devices