In-Car Video Chat and 4G Streaming From OnStar

Posted by Soulskill on Tuesday December 20, 2011 @05:13PM from the what-could-possibly-go-right dept.

thecarchik writes "At the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, OnStar will reveal the latest on their system. This time, the system will be equipped in a Chevy Volt research vehicle, which seems to be a more appropriate vessel than a Buick for previewing your latest technology. In a press release teasing the appearance, OnStar said the system will offer such features as cloud-based streaming of information and entertainment, rear-seat infotainment management and video chat. Video chat may sound like a terrifying feature for any car, but OnStar said in last year's CES press materials that the feature would only be enabled when the car is in park. Other features like video streaming would also be limited to the rear seat or to a parked vehicle."

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I don't understand these features by sinij · 2011-12-20 18:02 · Score: 5, Insightful

I can understand why you wouldn't want to have video chat going while driving. What I can't understand is why build anything into a car that is not useful while driving? Wouldn't your smart phone or laptop be a much better device to use for a video chat, especially since you are NOT driving? Another point to consider - how many people here still using their cell phone from 4 years ago? Well, 4 year old car still considered "gently used", with most cars lasting 8-12 years. How this vendor-locked technology going to get upgraded?