The OnStar Guardian App 

The OnStar Guardian App 

Three Images of the Aftermath of a Crash Scene

A powerful way to work together 

OnStar and public safety professionals have worked together since 1996. In that time, our world has seen amazing advances in mobile technology. We can now deliver key OnStar safety services in any vehicle, on a motorcycle, on the go and even at home with the OnStar Guardian®* app. 

The OnStar Guardian app can help in a crash or an emergency — and the app is supported by the same specially trained Advisors who have defined OnStar for more than 25 years. 

The OnStar Guardian app lets Members bring key safety services with them anywhere. 

Help in vehicles and on motorcycles 

The OnStar Guardian app uses a smartphone's built-in sensors to detect a crash — in any vehicle or on a motorcycle. The app's Mobile Crash Response feature, similar to the embedded OnStar system in Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles, can alert an Advisor to a crash. 

Help on the go 

OnStar goes beyond the vehicle by letting Members contact help using the Guardian app. The SOS button within the app connects to OnStar Emergency Advisors* who can triage the situation, contact the appropriate emergency communications center for assistance and, if needed, provide emergency medical dispatch. 

How Mobile Crash Response works

When Mobile Crash Response alerts an OnStar Advisor, we contact an emergency communications center (ECC). At the same time, an OnStar Emergency Advisor is communicating with the crash victim. The way the OnStar Guardian app communicates after a crash depends on the device's operating system. 
 

  • Android* devices: When a crash is detected, OnStar Guardian automatically connects to OnStar. An Emergency Advisor starts communicating with the Member over the phone’s speaker or connected Bluetooth®* device.  
  • Apple®* devices: When a crash is detected, OnStar Guardian automatically contacts OnStar. An Emergency Advisor will call the Member’s phone to make a voice connection.  

Preventing accidental activations 

What if someone drops their phone? Would that trigger a Mobile Crash Response? No. Here’s why: 

 

  • The app is ready to detect a crash once a vehicle is traveling at a threshold speed or higher — for a specific amount of time 
  • OnStar Guardian is designed to recognize the unique pattern of a car or motorcycle crash 
  • Extensive testing has been conducted, validating that the app's algorithm correctly identifies this unique crash pattern 
  • When the phone sensors detect a crash, an Emergency Advisor is alerted 
  • OnStar Advisors are trained to assess crash situations and determine which ones require ECC contact, helping mitigate the number of calls