GENERAL MOTOR'S ONSTAR SYSTEM

What happened on August 21, 1897?

The General Motor Corporation was founded, although at the time it was called "Olds Motor Vehicle Company Inc. Founded father, Samuel L. Smith produced the first Oldsmobile named the Curveu Dash Oldsmobile which sold for a sticker price of $650.00. Since that time, The General Motors Corporation has made some serious advancement in vehicle design, performance and technology.

In 2006, General Motors was ranked by Fortune 500 as being the world’s fifth largest corporation, with revenues exceeding $192 million.

1. Exxon Mobil
2. Wal-Mart Stores
3. Royal Dutch Shell
4. BP
5. General Motors
6. Chevron
7. DaimlerChrysler
8. Toyota Motor
9. Ford Motor
10. ConocoPhillips


OnStar's in-vehicle safety, security, and information services use Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite and cellular technology to link the vehicle and driver to the OnStar Center. At the OnStar Center, advisors offer real-time, personalized help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

One of OnStar’s many features is the vehicle emergency safety response option, where communications between the vehicle’s operator and the OnStar communication center is established upon vehicle impact. A gentleman and his wife from Truro Nova Scotia indicated that when their vehicle was struck in an intersection, the vehicle’s airbag was deployed and an OnStar agent was communicating with them before the vehicle came to a resting position. Luckily no one was injured during the accident. Stories of rescues initiated by the OnStar communications center were frequent in the office of General Motors. In California, a vehicles airbag was deployed and the communication’s center attempted contact with the occupant. When communications failed, the OnStar employee utilized the vehicle’s GPS system and located the vehicle in the Ocean. The Coast Guard was immediately contacted and rescued the occupant.

GM Advanced Automatic Crash Notification System (AACN)

Figure 1: The GM advanced automatic crash notification (AACN) system uses front and side sensors as well as the sensing capabilities of the Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) itself. The accelerometer located within the SDM measures the crash severity.

Figure 2: In the event of a moderate to severe frontal or side-impact crash, data is transmitted from the affected sensors to the SDM. The SDM sensor also can identify a rear impact of sufficient severity. Regardless of whether the air bags deploy, the SDM transmits crash information to the vehicle's OnStar module.

Figure 3: Within seconds of a moderate to severe crash, the OnStar module will send a message to the OnStar Call Center (OCC) through a cellular connection, informing the advisor that a crash has occurred. A voice connection between the advisor and the vehicle occupants is established. The advisor then can conference in 911 dispatch or a public safety answering point (PSAP), which determines if emergency services are necessary. If there is no response from the occupants, the advisor can provide the emergency dispatcher with the crash information from the SDM that reveals the severity of the crash. The dispatcher can identify what emergency services may be appropriate. Using the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite, OnStar advisors are able to tell emergency workers the location of the vehicle.
Number and location of sensors and SDM may vary depending on vehicle model.




These are the features of the new generation of the OnStar systems. Which won OnStar the Popular Science’s “2006 Best of What’s New Award”

The Directions & Connections plan provides OnStar’s safety, security, and convenience services including:

· OnStar Turn-by-Turn Navigation
· OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics
· Information and Convenience Services
· Automatic Notification of Air Bag Deployment
· Advanced Automatic Crash Notification
· Emergency Services
· OnStar Hands-Free Calling
· Remote Door Unlock
· Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance
· Roadside Assistance
· Accident Assist
· Remote Horn and Lights

I have personally only used the OnStar system once in my life. I had one of GM’s distributors call me in a panic because our warehouse facility had shorted them on product that was desperately needed. Apparently they had a customer at their counter requiring the product ASAP. If GM used an RDIF system in the warehousing operations, I would have been able to check our systems for the error and availability of the product. As it was, I went to the warehouse grabbed the missing product and headed out to the distributor’s facility. I was not aware that the customer had constructed a new building and had moved locations. I established communications with an OnStar representative and she was able to direct me to the customer, she actually stayed in contact with me until I reached my destination and indicated every time I was to turn, in which direction, and told me when I was going to cross a railway track.

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING!

A Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) is defined by Wikipedia as the following:

Is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. An RFID tag is an object that can be attached to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification using radio waves. All RFID tags contain at least two parts. One is an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a radio frequency (RF) signal and perhaps other specialized functions. The second is an antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal.

Advantages:

Large organizations have the potential to benefit greatly with the implementation of an RFID system, through Supply Chain Management, internal record keeping, financial records, time and cost savings, and employee theft reductions.

RFID systems have been suggested for many different functionalities:

· Replacing barcode processes
· Telemetry
· Human implant (approved by the American Food and Drug Administration)

RFID systems do not come without controversy.

Consumers purchasing products with RFID tags are unaware of the tags. The tags can also be read by an RFID receiver without knowledge by the individual. If a product containing an RFDI tag is purchased with a method that contains personal information; such as a credit card, the system has the potential to accumulate information on the individual. The privacy issues of RFID tags is reinforced by the fact that long after product is purchased and taken home the RFID tags remain active and can be used as a surveillance techniques. Religious groups have view RFID tag as the potential “mark of the beast (666).

Must see video on RFID involving Annalee Newitz from Wired Magazine and George Stroumboulopoulos…..

http://www.cbc.ca/mrl3/30569/thehour/videos/20060531-int_chips.wmv


The Privacy Commissioner of the Canadain Governament, Jennifer Stoddart has recently issued Dalhousie University $14,603 towards the study on the legal and privacy implications on the usage of RFID tags.

“Ottawa, January 27, 2005 – The Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Jennifer Stoddart, is pleased to announce that the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) is awarding $14,603, under its Contributions Program, to Dalhousie University for a study analyzing the legal, technological and privacy implications of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. The project is a collaboration of the Law and Technology Institute of the Dalhousie Law School and the Faculty of Computer Science.”


""Our project is an interdisciplinary one involving the faculties of law and computer science. We are very excited about this opportunity to explore the legal implications of technology using an interdisciplinary approach," said Teresa Scassa, Associate Professor at the Dalhousie Law School."

The INFORMATION HIGHWAY...IS ANYONE OUT THERE?

Assuming, like most, my Internet experiences have been focused around work related projects. Corporation issued software that has Internet based applications. Personally, I do online banking, have purchased from e-bay, bought a Dell notebook, have communicated with friends via email and MSN, and Goggled topics of interest. Four weeks into our course; struggling, I was curious if the general population’s Internet habits and experiences mirrored my own.

First E-Bay Experience:
My wife (at the time), Linda came screaming out of Sam’s (son) room… “What have I Done? What Have I Done?”… Attempting to find scarce Pokémon figurines for Sam’s birthday, she took a shot at searching if there were any available for sale on the E-Bay site. Not knowing exactly how the auction worked, she clicked on the buy now radio button…Resulting in 250 Pokémon little men arriving at our house via China. By the way, nothing hurts more than walking on a Pokémon in the middle of the night while you are trying to sneak a snack from the refrigerator.

I hope that you find this assembly of facts and statistics as interesting to read as it was my interest in discovering them. But, if Statistic is not your cup of tea, please scroll down and read the new trend I discovered while waiting in the doctor’s office. At the very least, you should see how others percieve your physician's qualifications.


These statistics are accumulated on the Pew Internet & American Life Project via phone and online surveys. Canadian Statistics were not readily available.

Company’s Mission

“The basis of the reports are nationwide random digit dial telephone surveys as well as online surveys. This data collection is supplemented with research from government agencies, academia, and other expert venues; observations of what people do and how they behave when they are online; in-depth interviews with Internet users and Internet experts alike; and other efforts that try to examine individual and group behaviour.”

· Wikipedia (2007) - daily 8% of the population access Wikipedia. Regardless of controversy of accuracy 50% of those who did consult the site had at least a college degree.

· Online Social Networking (2007) – 55% of online teens has created a personal profile on the internet website such as Facebook and MyPlace. They majority of them being teenage girls.

· Podcast (2004) – 12% of all internet users have downloaded a podcast to use at a later time. Research has indicated a decline in music downloading as a result of potential lawsuit imposed by the Recording Industry Association of America.

· Research (2006) – 87% of internet users has at one time used the internet to perform research on information.

· Information (2006) - Daily, 26 million Americans turn to the Internet for information on News.
· Banking (2006) – 63 million Americans perform Internet Banking.

· Wireless (2007) – 34% of Internet users log on to the Internet via wireless technology.

· Blogging (2005) – 7% of Internet users have created their own blog and 27% are blog readers.

· Health (2005) – 8 out of 10 internet users research the web for information on health related issue. Anything from diets, prescription medications, to physician and hospitals.
o Interesting local site where doctors are rated online.
o http://can.ratemds.com/filecache/SelectDoctor.jsp?sid=55

· Virus & Spyware targets (2006) – Internet users over the age of 65 are geographically the most vulnerable to internet attack. They are aware of the situation but do not take precautions to avoid intruders.

· Life Lessons (2006) – Estimated 60 Million Americans consult the Internet in assistance to make major life decisions.

· Spam / Phishing (2005) – After the implementation of the CAN-SPAM Act, 28% of Internet users with personal email accounts indicate that the instances of Spam has continued to rise; 21% of Internet users with email work accounts imply the same opinion.

· Work (2000) – 38 million fully employed workers have access to the Internet thought their organizations. (seems small even for the year 2000).

While waiting for my appointment in my Family Physician’s waiting room, I stumble upon this tidbit of information about a new Internet trend that has been surfacing in Europe and the United States. Does anyone else find that their senses have been heightened towards technology as a result of the MIS course? The short article’s headline stated, “Stay-at-home-Sympathies”. It continued to indicate that “Technically Savvy Funeral Homes” are web-broadcasting funerals via the internet for family and friend who are unable to attend in person. See attached…

Funerals held at Karrakatta Cemetery and Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park can now be viewed over the Internet. Click below for the following webcasting links:

Webcasting Requirements
Live Broadcasts
Recent Broadcasts
Test Your System

Using the latest video streaming technology, the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board’s new Funeral Webcasting service brings people together. When mourners cannot attend in person – due to distance, illness or other constraints - they can view the funeral ceremony over the Internet as it happens or for up to 30 days after.
A webcast can be arranged at the time of need, or as part of a pre-paid funeral plan.

Several options are available:

Live webcast
Recording in DVD or VHS
Live webcast + access to a recording on the MCB website for 30 days
Webcast package: Live webcast + VHS or DVD recording + Access to a recording on the MCB website for 30 days + a Memories e-ternal companion online memorial

A Funeral Webcast can be arranged through your funeral director at the time of need, or can be requested as part of a Pre-paid Funeral Package.

Makes me wonder what the next technology advancement will be….Will Funeral homes install wireless, Bluetooth technology within the caskets enabling family member to communicate into the afterlife? Hahahaha

STARBUCKS, THE CAMPUS LIBRARY OF GEN Y?

7:00 AM Monday morning… attempting to get the tangles out of Lauren’s hair…”OUCH!”...changing Sam’s shirt for the third time (Great kid, but spills everything)…lunches and back packs ready to go at the back door…feed…clean…happy…Dam Late! “Coats, Shoes, Back Packs and get in the car!” I yelled at the two best kids in the world as we all run out the door with the speed of being chased by an axe murder. “Wait! Lauren, Baby it is going to be 26 degrees out today, why do you have on rubber boots?” Her blue eyes and sad look breaks my heart to make her go back in and put on her sneakers.



8:30 AM Not enough Caffeine in my system yet and my thoughts turn to Starbucks. Eight weeks ago I embarked on a new life journey and enrolled into the Université de Moncton’s MBA program. As a result, I have frequent Starbucks early in the morning for some quiet & peaceful reading. Removing my sweater and unloading my text book from my briefcase, I sensed that this morning was unlike most. Numerous young students were sipping their lattes and typing on their notebooks. I noticed a pack of girls in the corner with their heads buried in books and not giggling; strange. “One sugar-free, low-fat vanilla, Carmel Macchiato” the Starbucks’ employee yells from behind the counter. No need to order, being a regular has its perks. I move my way to the counter; angry glares from the customers in the line up burning scares into my back, and ask “Why so busy this morning?” Exam week was his reply.

12:30 PM Four hours later, confident that I had the materials of the first two chapters for my newest endeavour, “Management Information Systems”, well grasped. I returned home to check my emails while trying to scarf down my third meal of the day… Class cancelled.

Two days later…

6:30 PM Always ambitious on the first day of a new class, I was armed with enough highlighters, paper, and pens to accommodate the Canadian House of Commons. Education this time around is different. After 21 years of being in a business environment, the subject matter is relatable to past experiences and I like it. As the “Systems Administrator” for a large organization, it was in my job description to order, build and train employees on their PCs. I also had to implement corporate approved upgrades, which resulted in more training. Each group in the company from Senior Management, District Management, to the warehouse employees all had their own specific GM software and mainframe applications that needed to be mastered. The first two chapters allow for explanation and defined functions of these information systems and their roles in the business community.

Honestly, these first two chapters offered more acronyms than any other course I have ever taken:

§ TPS Transaction Processing Systems
§ MIS Management Information Systems
§ DSS Decision – Support Systems
§ ESS Executive Support Systems
§ PLM Product Life Cycle Management Systems
§ ERP Enterprise Resource Planning Systems
§ SCM Supply Chain Management Systems

Personally, I seem to retain more information if I read at the library on campus, which I did last week. I can’t tell you if it was the chaos due to exam week or those darn Carmel Macchiato but I was back at Starbucks getting my fix on Thursday.


Just Because....