Chevrolet Provides Ultimate SXSW Experience

AUSTIN, Texas, March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, Chevrolet is a Super Sponsor of the interactive, film, and music festival South by Southwest (SXSW). Chevrolet is giving attendees the chance to experience new technologies from General Motors, drive the latest products and catch a complimentary ride to popular venues throughout Austin from March 11-20.

Become an Early Adopter of Chevrolet MyLink

SXSW interactive attendees will be the first to experience the power of Chevrolet MyLink in the Austin Convention Center (Trinity Street and 3rd Street). MyLink is an in-car, infotainment package that builds on the safety and security of OnStar and seamlessly integrates online services using hands-free voice and touch-screen controls via Bluetooth® device connectivity.

"South by Southwest is a perfect backdrop to introduce people to Chevrolet MyLink," said Chris Perry, GM vice president, U.S. marketing. "Like South by Southwest itself, MyLink is the ultimate combination of music and technology. The festival also offers an opportunity for Chevrolet and OnStar to evaluate new technologies that may soon help Chevrolet drivers safely stay connected while behind the wheel."

The MyLink system, which will be offered later this year in the Chevrolet Volt and Equinox, features a seven-inch, high-resolution, full-color touch screen display that makes media selection easy to navigate, and provides stereo audio streaming and wireless control of smartphones.

The enhanced hands-free voice control system powered by Nuance® allows simple voice commands to initiate phone calls and select radio stations or media from portable MP3 players and smartphones. Control of apps for Pandora® and Stitcher SmartRadio® enable a driver-directed listening experience while the drivers' smartphone is safety stowed away.

Navigate the Streets of Austin with Chevrolet

Since getting through the crowded festival may be tough, Chevrolet is offering the complimentary "Catch A Chevy" shuttle service to festival-goers. Thirty Chevrolet Cruze sedans will provide continuous service, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., each day of the festival. Attendees can hail a marked vehicle just like a taxi, or visit the Catch A Chevy stop outside of the Austin Convention Center on Trinity and 3rd. Also outside of the Austin Convention Center, attendees can get behind the wheel for test drives of the Chevrolet Volt, Cruze, Camaro, Corvette, Equinox and Traverse.

Connect with Chevrolet

All Catch A Chevy Cruze vehicles at SXSW will feature MS Tags that attendees can scan with their mobile phones to access information about the vehicle's highlights. Chevrolet will also leverage social-media services, including Gowalla, FourSquare, and Qrank, to connect with consumers in Austin. When attendees check into locations using Gowalla and FourSquare, Chevrolet will offer tips on getting into upcoming events or directions to the closest Catch-A-Chevy stop. Using Qrank, attendees can compete with each other in a trivia game, tailored to SXSW and Chevrolet, to win tickets to music concerts or film premieres.

Relax and Recharge

Since the non-stop, 10-day festival is jam-packed with parties, concerts and sessions, attendees can   recharge themselves and their mobile devices in the Volt Recharge Lounge. Throughout the day, the Volt Recharge Lounge will offer attendees a place to rest their feet and recharge their iPhones, Blackberries, laptops and other electronic devices.

Don't Miss a Beat – Chevy Showcase

The Chevy Showcase offers music fans two nights of musical entertainment. The first is March 16, where Chevrolet has an eclectic mix of bands, including Black Cards, Reptar, Dinosaur Feathers, The Hounds Below, New Villager, and The Kickback. This all goes down from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Maggie Mae's (6th Street near Trinity Street). Then on March 19, Chevy Showcase will host another showcase with special acts from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Stubb's Restaurant (Red River Street near 8th Street).

Get Onboard with OnStar

At SXSW, OnStar will discuss the future of connected vehicles. Nick Pudar, vice president, OnStar Business Development and Planning, will join experts from Verizon, Pandora and Qualcomm to moderate a SXSW interactive panel discussion on "The Connected Car: Driving Technology" on March 11 at 5 p.m.

"Over the course of the last 15 years OnStar has grown from delivering safety & security to offer connected in-car mobility services," Pudar said. "In the future, with mobile broadband technology and social web platforms evolving we see an incredible opportunity to leverage the power of OnStar to safely provide drivers everything from access to streaming internet content  to hands-free, social-media status updates and many other customized services."

In addition, 10 SXSW road trip teams will use OnStar technologies as they drive to Austin. The teams, from different cities throughout the United States and Canada, will drive to Austin in Chevrolet vehicles, using OnStar to receive instructions for the trip, post updates through social media channels and download directions to their next destination.

The teams will also evaluate next-generation OnStar technologies, such as using the OnStar Voice Communications App for Android mobile phones, which enables drivers to send and receive text messages and Twitter updates using only their voices. Road trip teams will also test a pilot voice-recognition Turn-by-Turn app that allows customers to say their desired destination and automatically download directions to the vehicle through OnStar.

Want to Know More?

Visit SXSW.com/Chevrolet for regularly updated blog posts, videos, and photos from SXSW, along with interviews with SXSW talent and attendees by TV and web personality Shira Lazar. Chevrolet will also be active on Twitter @Chevrolet and Facebook.com/Chevrolet sharing updates from the festival.

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