Police Recover First Stolen RV Equipped With OnStar

OnStar Locates Stolen $350,000 Florida Motorhome In Chicago Suburb

TROY, Mich. (June 9, 2003) – OnStar helped police in suburban Chicago recover the first OnStar-equipped motorhome stolen since major recreational vehicle manufacturers began offering the in-vehicle safety and security system earlier this year.

Police recovered the $350,000 American Eagle Coach in Palos Park, Ill., after it had been stolen several days earlier from its owner in central Florida. The motorhome had been driven cross-country and was in good condition when police confiscated it March 24 at a personal residence. The vehicle was returned to its owner.

Police were notified after the owner discovered the motorhome had been stolen, and OnStar's assistance was soon requested to locate it. Among the features inside the 42-foot American Eagle Coach were a Sony 42-inch plasma television, XM Satellite Radio, washer and dryer, central vacuum system, and ceiling fan.

OnStar works closely with emergency and law enforcement agencies, using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and wireless technology, and has responded to over ten thousand stolen vehicle location requests. There are more than 2 million OnStar subscribers on the road today.

"We're not surprised that OnStar performed as designed and was a major factor in the recovery of the stolen RV and protected the owner's investment," said OnStar President Chet Huber. "OnStar is a natural fit for the RV industry to provide road travelers with route support, travel connections, emergency assistance and hands-free, voice-activated calling, and now we've demonstrated another great OnStar benefit for the RV market."

OnStar provides safety and security systems to RV manufacturers through a distribution agreement with RiverPark Inc. of Elkhart, Ind. American Coach, Fleetwood, Monaco and Newmar have signed purchased orders with RiverPark for OnStar hardware.

OnStar's RV Special Edition services, targeted for availability in motorhomes, are provided at the touch of OnStar's three-button system:

The red emergency button connects on a priority basis with a live OnStar advisor and provides the vehicle's GPS location. The advisor can request emergency/safety/rescue personnel to the vehicle location or direct the driver to a nearby hospital or other emergency service point.

The blue OnStar button connects with a live advisor who utilizes GPS to help drivers request roadside services, find accommodations, or access information on millions of travel points of interest from OnStar's database.

The white dot button connects with OnStar Personal Calling (OPC), a hands-free, voice activated cellular phone that can be used to make or receive calls to and from third parties. Using OPC, the caller can also access OnStar Virtual Advisor, which forms a bridge to the Internet and provides the caller with local weather and location-based traffic reports.

About OnStar
OnStar, available on a range of vehicles from seven auto manufacturers, is the nation's leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information services using the Global Positioning system (GPS) satellite network and wireless technology. OnStar services include automatic notification of air bag deployment, stolen vehicle assistance, emergency services, roadside assistance with location, remote door unlock, remote diagnostics, route support, OnStar concierge and convenience services. OnStar Personal Calling allows drivers to make and receive hands-free, voice-activated phone calls through a nationwide cellular network and access traffic and weather reports, as well as sports scores, stock quotes and news. More information about OnStar can be found at www.onstar.com.

RETURN TO RV TRAVELER NEWSLETTER INDEX