Chevrolets Tweet to SXSW Using Futuristic OnStar Technology

DETROIT, March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

• Ten teams from across the nation raise funds for a good cause powered by OnStar
• First public test for OnStar intelligent Twitter technology
• OnStar to lead panel on "The Connected Car: Driving Technology" at SXSW

OnStar-equipped Chevrolet vehicles will come to life and join the social conversation by posting updates to dedicated Twitter accounts as they travel to South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin this week.  Used for the first time in external testing, the tweeting cars along with their blogger drivers will tell their own stories of the Chevrolet and OnStar Road Trip Challenge to SXSW.

Ten teams of four bloggers will represent their city on the excursion. Equipped with OnStar Directions and Connections service, a mobile phone loaded with OnStar mobile apps and Autonet Wi-Fi units for passengers, teams will document their experiences as they travel from all directions doing good deeds and raising money for Adopt-A-Classroom through their social media outreach. The hope is the Chevrolet vehicles will build a social following along with their teams during the March 8-10 road trip.

"We are excited to make a number of our advanced OnStar social media interaction technologies exclusively available to our road-trip bloggers and get their first-hand feedback," said Nick Pudar, vice president of business development and planning, OnStar.

"While it will be fun to see the cars join the conversation, the tweeting car demonstrates the potential we see for software that uses social media tools to create intelligent, customized mobility services that interpret drivers' intent and help them to access highly relevant and personalized information in the vehicle."

During the road trip, the drivers will have an exclusive opportunity to use and provide direct feedback on existing services like OnStar MyLink, a mobile application that provides remote vehicle connectivity to select 2011 Chevrolet vehicles. Bloggers will also review services that are in public testing including the Voice Communication App and Audio Facebook Updates. Through these tools, bloggers can send and receive text messages, Facebook updates and Twitter messages using only their voice so that they can keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

Get to know the Chevrolet and OnStar Road Trip Challenge to SXSW team line-up and vehicles through the dedicated Twitter hashtag #chevysxsw or through the following hashtags and handles:

Visit www.onstarsxsw2011.appspot.com to access the Chevrolet and OnStar Road Trip Challenge Map to see where the teams are traveling and what the Chevrolets are tweeting about.

To learn more about OnStar innovations and future implications while at SXSW, join Nick Pudar as he moderates "The Connected Car: Driving Technology", a SXSW interactive panel on March 11, at 5 p.m. CT. Panelists include: Joe Berry, consultant, Verizon; Jessica Steel, executive vice president of business and corporate development, Pandora; and Howard Wright, vice president of global business development, Qualcomm.

About OnStar

OnStar, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, is the leading provider of connected safety and security solutions, value-added mobility services and advanced information technology. Currently available on more than 40 MY 2011 GM models, OnStar soon will be available for installation on most other vehicles already on the road through local electronics retailers, including Best Buy. OnStar safely connects its more than six million subscribers, in the U.S., Canada and China, in ways never thought possible. OnStar Stolen Vehicle Slowdown is a recipient of the 2010 Edison Award for Best New Product in the technology category. More information about OnStar can be found at www.onstar.com.

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and connected mobility services including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

SOURCE General Motors