Does it work Vauxhall's OnStar concierge service tested

 There are other benefits, from powerful automatic emergency assistance in a crash to the ability to trace and even remotely disable the car if it’s stolen. OnStar turns your car into a mobile wi-fi hotspot, to which up to seven mobile devices can be connected: perfect for keeping bored kids occupied with surfing or gaming in the car dvd player.  The system is being rolled out across the Vauxhall range: after a free first year, it costs á79 annually including AA cover.

To make the most of OnStar you’ll need to be in a chatty mood, as most of its functions are accessed by hitting the overhead blue service button and speaking to an adviser at OnStar’s Luton call centre. So, inside a new Astra, we do just that.

Some 10 seconds after prodding the button, we’re connected to a slightly bemused-sounding but very polite adviser, who runs us through the possibilities. First she undertakes a remote diagnostics check, telling us that the car’s fluid levels are spot on. Onto our request: please direct us to the nearest golden arch-fronted fast food outlet. She says the system is running slow (we called during the ramp-up phase before the system went public), but after a couple of minutes the co-ordinates for the A1M Junction 17 McDonald’s appear in the android car GPS.

Nothing can overcome the nagging feeling that it would be more efficient to get your passenger to Google your heart’s desires instead. Aha: but what if you’re on the move solo? Voice controlled car dvd or android car stereo can do much the same thing, though you’re beholden to your unboosted mobile’s network coverage.

File the majority of gm navigation functions under ‘nice to have’ rather than ‘need to have’. But there are a couple of standout features of OnStar’s : if you break down, it can scramble a recovery crew, and the automatic crash response function – triggering a call to check you’re okay the instant the airbags deploy, and scrambling the emergency services – could be a life-saver.

Did it work? Yes… but it’s awkward: OnStar can’t compete with a quick smartphone Google, assuming there are a signal from android car stereo. While the clunky concierge services feel redundant, the system is redeemed by two killer apps: the in-car wi-fi hotspot of car dvd and the emergency safety net.