GM's OnStar System Hacked

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Posted by michael on Friday December 26, 2003 @05:31AM from the think-outside-the-box dept.

Makarand writes "According to this Mercury News article users of GM's OnStar system are finding that they can modify their OnStar unit to make it work with commercially available mapping software after disconnecting it from the OnStar network. Websites and message boards are rife with step-by-step instructions to personalize OnStar's navigational and communications components. When a driver requests directions from OnStar his GPS data is routed over an analog cellular network to OnStar computers and the directions are read back to the driver on the same network. The price for this service is around $400 each year. Those who tap into their OnStar systems pay no such fees."

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Yes, but... by Anonymous Coward · 2003-12-26 05:37 · Score: 5, Funny

When your arm gets cut off in your next auto accident, who will call for the ambulance?!
1. Re:Yes, but... by vasqzr · 2003-12-26 05:52 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Not if you've hacked your car and it's not connected to OnStar anymore....
2. Re:Yes, but... by Rahga · 2003-12-26 08:59 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  You must be the only Counter-Strike player left that doesn't use aimbots.
3. Re:Yes, but... by epyx · 2003-12-26 10:16 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  Slightly off topic..
  I am a paramedic in Ohio, and the OnStar system called our dispatchers stating there was an accident with ejection, giving us the freeway the guy was on and what exit he was at. I guarantee this guy didn't hit his OnStar button, as he was shot twice and ejected, then subsequently turned into about 6 pieces of hamburger meat as he hit the exit sign.
  
  Apparantly, OnStar calls the police and EMS to an accident when your airbag goes off, and they have a sensor to detect when you're sitting in the driver's seat. Airbag went off, senors in the seat said 'hey wait, no driver no more' and called the correct ambulance company to respond. Kind of neat when you think about it.
Not quite as spectacular as advertised by csnydermvpsoft · 2003-12-26 05:39 · Score: 4, Insightful

All they're doing is modifying the GPS unit to work with a regular computer, while at the same time making the rest of the system (including emergency functions) inoperable. Why not just pay $50 for a basic GPS receiver?
1. Re:Not quite as spectacular as advertised by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · 2003-12-26 05:57 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  All they're doing is modifying the GPS unit to work with a regular computer, while at the same time making the rest of the system (including emergency functions) inoperable. Why not just pay $50 for a basic GPS receiver?
  
  It seems to me that having wardriving componentry integrated into the car is stylish amd more discreet, so it does have value.
  
  I guess the next step will be to add a 802.11b interface to the engine computer and port Linux to it.
  
  --
  "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
2. Re:Not quite as spectacular as advertised by kfg · 2003-12-26 06:47 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I can see the future of hot rodding now:
  
  "Yeah, I've made some really neat modifications to my Corvette. You should see how fast it compiles a kernel."
  
  KFG
3. Re:Not quite as spectacular as advertised by forkboy · 2003-12-26 07:29 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I think GM would have a hard time convincing a judge that your meddling with the car's computer network caused a leak in the coolant or made a ball joint crack. You can't really cause physical defects to a car via the computer.
  
  --
  This message brought to you by the Council of People Who Are Sick of Seeing More People.
Consider the cost by dacarr · 2003-12-26 05:40 · Score: 5, Insightful

People will pay about US$30-35 to have this and get directions based on numerous things, or they can hack it and find a way to collect the data locally. Most people who hack this aren't going to be the type to need somebody's help for $30/mo though, and many people who can't hack this but can read maps might just have it done.
So in the end, you'll be left with people who have an Onstar box and will rather pay the $30/mo as well as their cellphone bills, blissfully unaware that they can make 911 calls for free on disconnected cellphones.

--
This sig no verb.
DMCA in 5..4..3... by CarrionBird · 2003-12-26 05:41 · Score: 5, Insightful

How long will it take for GM to claim that the Onstar devices are licensed, not sold? Either way, a big part of onstar is the live operator service for emergencies, how do you replace that?

--
Free Mac Mini Yeah, it's
1. Re:DMCA in 5..4..3... by I+Like+Swords!!! · 2003-12-26 05:58 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Use some kind of artificial intelligence! Something like HAL or Elisa...
  
  Wait... Can you imagine the conversation?
  
  You: I need help.
  Elisa: Why do you want help?
  You: I had an accident.
  Elisa: Can you elaborate on that?
  You: My car crashed.
  Elisa: Why do you say your car crashed?
  You: Because, some asshole ran me off the road!
  Elisa: Do any other reasons not come to mind?
  You: No dammit!
  Elisa: You are being a bit negative.
  You: Negative? I NEED SOME HELP!
  Elisa: Why do you want some help?
  You: I TOLD YOU ALREADY!
  Elisa: Do you wish to told me?
  You: DAMN YOU! JUST GET ME SOME HELP!
  Elisa: Oh, i just get you some help.
  You: YES! YOU DO THAT!
  Elisa: You are sure?
  You: YES YOU MORON!
  Elisa: You are sure?
  You: FOR THE LAST TIME, YES!
  Elisa: You are sure?
  You: JUST GET ME SOME HELP NOW!!!
  Elisa: Can you elaborate on that?
  You: *die from your blood curdling*
  
  Ok.... maybe that's not such a good idea after all.
  
  --
  .unsigged
I *like* OnStar by valkraider · 2003-12-26 05:41 · Score: 4, Informative

I don't want OnStar for directions to restaurants or gas stations.

I like On-Star for being able to have police/rescue know exactly where I am if/when my Airbag deploys. I like On-Star for when my "check engine" light comes on, I press the button, they run a remote diagnostic on my engine's computer, and can tell me how serious the problem is and can call me a tow truck if needed. I like OnStar for being able to unlock my car when I lock my keys in the car (with an infant in the carseat). I like OnStar for being able to track, and stop my car if it is stolen.

That's worth the OnStar subscription... The other stuff is just gravy, which we never really used - so we cancelled....
1. Re:I *like* OnStar by MAPA3M · 2003-12-26 06:16 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I like On-Star for being able to have police/rescue know exactly where I am if/when my Airbag deploys.
  
  GPS:
  Please make a left turn.
  ...
  Why did you not make a left turn?
  ...
  Please make a left turn here or I will deploy the airbag repeatedly until a left turn is made
2. Re:I *like* OnStar by transient · 2003-12-26 07:28 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  I like OnStar for being able to track, and stop my car if it is stolen.
  This is an incredibly useful feature. My aunt had her car stolen at gunpoint a couple months ago. The police used OnStar to track down the car and bust a ring of serial car thieves that had been working in the Twin Cities for some time.
  
  --
  
  irb(main):001:0>
possible new slashdot trolling technique? by Savatte · 2003-12-26 05:42 · Score: 4, Funny

hacking somone's onstar and sending them to the physical location of the goatse.cx server.
Re:Cool and all, but by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · 2003-12-26 05:49 · Score: 4, Insightful

What's wrong with a hand-held GPS unit and a map?

The answer is contained in your question : "hand-held" and "map".

And some people wonder why there are so many road accidents ...

--
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
Re:Slashdot Effect Counter As we speak ... by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · 2003-12-26 05:53 · Score: 5, Funny

When I went in the Site counter was

0000032

Remember, it's a site dedicated to cars. They just rolled back the counter before selling the page to Slashdot, that's all.

--
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
How about unlocking doors? by Big+Ryan · 2003-12-26 05:54 · Score: 5, Interesting

Has anyone seen the OnStar commercial where the OnStar rep opens the vehicle doors remotely?
How long do you think it would take to come up with a crack that allows third parties to do the same? It would make stealing cars so much easier...
Re:Call me silly... by Dun+Malg · 2003-12-26 05:55 · Score: 4, Informative

ONSTAR(tm) system onboard... is there something special about it's gps reciever that would make it worthy to find one at a junk yard and purchace one?
Not really. The Motorola Oncore GPS unit has slightly more informative proprietary software to talk to than your average NMEA serial GPS unit, but it's no better than a decent stand alone Garmin GPS unit.

--
If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
Re:Cool and all, but by AKnightCowboy · 2003-12-26 06:06 · Score: 5, Informative

Err , given that you have to phone up onstar to find your location , hence use a phone anyway , what exactly is the issue here? YOu stop the car to read your had held GPS and pay nothing , or you stop the car to phone onstar and pay $$$$$$.
Have you ever used Onstar before? At least with my Grand Prix you just push the blue button, it cuts out the radio and you have hands-free communication with the person. It's kind of neat, but I've never used it so I didn't renew it when my free 1 year was up. The only advantage I saw was that if you're in an accident and the airbags deploy they'll call you to make sure emergency services gets to you. I didn't think it was worth $17 for this safety package though since I have a cell phone already. I never used it for directions since I'm a man... we never ask for directions!!! Now, if I could use my otherwise useless onstar system built into my car with a laptop then I find it interesting.
Re:I tell ya, it's the Joker! by vjmurphy · 2003-12-26 06:24 · Score: 5, Funny

Here's the first time Batman is using it:

Batman: OnStar, I locked the keys in the Batmobile.
OnStar: Okay, let me see, looks like you are at Stately Wayne Manor... wait, your secret identity is Bruce Wayne!
Batman: Dammit.

--
Vincent J. Murphy
Spandex Justice
Yes, but... by cHiphead · 2003-12-26 06:31 · Score: 5, Funny

... once you've lost your mouse arm, no more counter strike pwnage, whats the point in living anyway?

--

This is my sig. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
But that's the pont. by mindstrm · 2003-12-26 07:25 · Score: 4, Insightful

If something went wrong with the electrical system, and they could reasonably show that your modifications to onstar could have caused it, fine, fair enough..

But "voids the warrantee" means that, if you modify the onstar system, and then a week later the rear axle falls off and the right front door hinges sieze up, they can say "sorry, you modified your onstar system, it's your problem".

The act in question means they can't just invalidate teh entire warrantee on the vehicle just because of one unrelated part.
OEM units by hey! · 2003-12-26 11:07 · Score: 4, Informative

I agree. It seems like the point of this "hack" is to get access to the GPS unit. Seems like a bad idea to mess with an expensive unit and possibly void your warranty, especially when you're just getting access to a $20 OEM GPS unit.

I'd say the main thing about doing this is that they've already mounted the GPS antenna and routed the cable. This is going to be cleaner looking and probably get better signal than slapping a GPS on the dashboard. It'd be nice to make a little box that sat under your dashboard, or maybe in your glove box, that you could just plug your laptop into.

I've had a little experience with the OEM GPS units in embedded systems. They send the standard NMEA strings so any GPS program can use them. The main issue is that they output TTL level (0,5V) rather than RS-232 (-12/+12). Your laptop probably won't care but some PDAs won't be able to read the data. I'd just mount the thing on a little breadboard,wire up th e power leads, run the two I/O wires to an DB-9 shell and the antenna input to the appropriate connector. Then unplug the GPS antenna from the onstar unit and plug it the antenna jack. The advantage of this is that there are no warranty issues; just plug the antenna lead back into the onstar unit when you take it in for service and nobody's the wiser.

You can get completely assembled, self contained, true RS-232 units for about $120. For less than $200 more, you can have differential GPS with 3m accuracy.

Another option I've messed with are little bluetooth enabled GPS receivers. These would be very clean and unobtrusive on a dashboard.

--
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