But that's the future. The present belongs pretty much to GM, largely because OnStar is imbedded into most of the vehicles it makes. Essentially, this means that an OnStar-equipped car has a signal that's up to six times as powerful as the signal in a cell phone.
So people at the OnStar centre are able to locate you exactly (to within a few metres) anywhere in North America and can speak to you in lots of places cell phones won't work.
This is enormously helpful when you're in a crash that deploys your vehicle's airbags, since that's when an OnStar adviser calls to ask if you're alright. If you don't reply or if you say you need help, the adviser contacts the nearest emergency service organization and sends them to your precise location.
So you get help even if you're unconscious, or unable to reach the OnStar emergency button, or if you're out of cell phone range, or if you don't know exactly where you are, which is true a lot more than you probably realize.
On top of that, OnStar can send a tow truck to your exact location if you have a breakdown, or unlook your vehicle if you've lost your keys or locked them inside so you can get in and be safe and out of the elements.
When I think this through and give the proper importance to getting help after a crash, it's clear to me that there's virtually nothing else on the market that compares to what GM is offering with OnStar.
Which is why I would suggest that, if you're really serious about your safety and security, you strongly consider a vehicle with OnStar or be sure you crash into one that has it.