Last year, GM and OnStar announced enhanced capabilities to extend emergency assistance beyond GM vehicles and the OnStar Guardian app1 with the OnStar Guardian skill for Amazon Alexa.2 This latest capability provides a voice-enabled connection to Emergency-Certified OnStar Advisors3 through compatible Alexa-enabled devices such as Amazon Echo, Echo Dot and Echo Show.
Using the OnStar Guardian skill, individuals can say, “Alexa, call for help” and be connected to OnStar’s trained Advisors who will confirm the location of the emergency, quickly triage and validate the situation, and use OnStar’s proprietary database to contact the appropriate 911 center to request assistance. Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs) will continue to receive all the expertise OnStar provides in emergency incidents and the same type of assistance you’ve grown accustomed to for years.
Unlike “direct dial devices,” such as smartwatches, which may place an automated call to an ECC without offering any details or human interaction, the OnStar Guardian skill provides a connection to a live Advisor for triage and validation. Accidental calls are screened out before 911 is contacted to avoid unnecessarily burdening call centers, especially when many are currently understaffed. FCC regulations don’t allow for smart speakers and voice assistants to call 911 centers directly, so the OnStar Guardian skill helps fill a vital role.
OnStar has developed a training video for public safety so you can learn how this service works and what to expect. Click below to view the video, and please share it with others at your agency.
OnStar Emergency Assistance, Anywhere
OnStar is no longer just in General Motors vehicles; the Guardian services have expanded OnStar’s reach for emergency assistance and aid to First Responders to save more lives. With OnStar’s suite of emergency-services technologies, your ECC may receive calls from OnStar Advisors from just about anywhere — a vehicle or motorcycle, during a walk, or even from the couch. These calls may include a wider variety of emergencies that may be encountered outside the vehicle, so OnStar plans to have emergency advisors trained in Emergency Police and Fire Dispatch, above and beyond EMD.
Be sure to visit https://www.public-safety.onstar.com/ for additional information and resources.
Have you received a call from OnStar for an emergency from the Guardian skill or mobile app? Please tell us about it!
- U.S. and Canada only. Available on select Apple and Android devices. Mobile Crash Response services are intended for use in select vehicles only and can connect automatically on Android devices only. Service coverage varies with conditions and location. Service availability, features and functionality vary by device and software version. OnStar Guardian service plan (standalone plan, add-on plan or plan that includes the service), cell reception, GPS signal, and device data connection required. Terms apply. Device permissions are required for app to operate properly. OnStar links to emergency services. Device and app may not transmit all crash data. See onstar.com for details and limitations. Pricing and availability subject to change. You may cancel at any time by calling 1.888.4ONSTAR (1.888.466.7827).
- Select service plan required. OnStar Guardian skill and associated OnStar services require successful account linking with Amazon Alexa, completion of a safety profile, including an accurate and up-to-date physical address of the Alexa-enabled device. Physical Address must be confirmed and updated in the OnStar Guardian app. Device data connection is required. OnStar links to emergency services. Amazon, Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Terms apply. See onstar.com for details and limitations.
- Emergency-certified Advisors are certified by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.
