General Motors unit Chevrolet is looking to release technology that can warn the drivers of vehicles of potentially problematic parts and upcoming breakdowns.
The system will be a major upgrade to the systems currently in found in most vehicles that detect if there is something wrong with the car's mechanics. An example of such a system currently in place is the "check your engine" light that informs drivers when there is a problem with the car's engine. However, once the light turns on, it means the damage has already been done. In addition, aside from informing the driver that there is a problem, it does not give any details on which specific component the problem lies.
Chevrolet is looking to take such systems to the next level with the technology that it is developing, which the company is looking to launch.
Chevrolet's new technology will inform drivers on which car parts require immediate attention. In addition, Chevrolet said that the notifications will be made to the drivers, in most cases, before the performance of the vehicle is diminished by the faulty part.
The technology is able to monitor the vehicle's battery, fuel pump and starter motor. Sensors that will be included in each vehicle will be sending data to the servers of OnStar, wherein algorithms will then make calculations on whether all the vehicle's components are operating properly. If an anomaly that could interfere with the performance of the car is detected, the driver will receive a notification regarding the issue through a text message, an email, in-car alerts or through an app.
"Using our innovative OnStar 4G LTE connectivity platform, we can actively monitor vehicle component health, and notify our customers if covered vehicle components need attention," said General Motor senior VP of global connected customer experience Alicia Boler-Davis.
According to Boler-Davis, Chevrolet is the only company that will be offering such a feature.
The technology of Chevrolet seems to combine cloud-based computing functions into vehicle systems, as the sensors installed within the cars will be constantly sending data to remote servers powered by OnStar.
Users of OnStar can now already use the service to monitor some components of their vehicles, including oil levels and tire pressure, through email updates sent monthly or an app. The new technology, once released, will allow drivers to monitors the diagnostics of their cars continuously, with no need to wait for updates to be sent to them.
Chevrolet's new technology will be rolled out to the 2016 models of the Corvette, Equinox, Silverado, Silverado HD, Suburban and Tahoe. The company is planning to expand the technology to include more vehicles, along with being able to monitor even more car components.
