Cadillac Doubles Length Of Free OnStar Connectivity Plan, Deletes Features

Cadillac has replaced the OnStar Basic Plan with a new OnStar plan that is included for free with its vehicles. As part of the change, the duration of the complimentary (free) plan changes to ten years (from five), but the plan now includes less features than before. Here’s the breakdown, which Cadillac Society is first to report on.

Connected Access Plan

Cadillac Connected Access is the new free plan. Its duration is ten years and it includes the following features:

• Vehicle Diagnostics: continually monitors the vehicle and sends a report to the owner summarizing the vehicle’s health, issues, problems or recalls
• Marketplace: allows the owner to browse and download tailored apps for the Cadillac Infotainment System (CUE), such as the Spotify app
• Smart Driver: collects data on the customer’s driving habits and techniques (on an opt-in basis) and assists the owner to drive better, safer and more efficiently
• Dealer Maintenance Notification: sends an alert to the customer’s preferred dealer when the vehicle is in need of service or repairs

Along with the change in name and length comes one new caveat: Cadillac Connected Access is not transferable to other owners. Instead, subsequent owners will receive five years of the service from the time of their purchase.

But here’s what’s possibly even more important: the new Connected Access Plan no longer includes Remote Keyfob functionality, which enables users to remotely lock and unlock doors, flash the lights and honk the horn, or start and stop (if equipped) a Cadillac using the vehicle’s mobile app. That is now part of a separate, paid plan called Remote Access.

Remote Access Plan

The new Remote Access Plan is priced at $14.99 per month and includes the following features:

• Keyfob access: enables owners to remotely start, lock/unlock doors, as well as activate the horn and lights from the myCadillac app
• Vehicle locate service: allows owners to see their vehicle’s approximate location and nearby address on a map using the myCadillac app
• Send-to-Navigation: allows the owner to send an address to the vehicle using the myCadillac app, commencing navigation guidance
• Family Link: includes access to the location of the vehicle(s) along with the option to set boundary limits and destination arrival/departure notifications. This feature was previously priced at $3.99 per month.
• Advisor-assisted On Demand Diagnostics: allows the driver to press the OnStar button in the vehicle to have an Advisor run a report and pinpoint the issue whenever a warning light comes on the dashboard

Other Plans

From there, the new Cadillac-OnStar plans progress as follows:

• Unlimited Access: $39.99 a month
• Safety & Security: $24.99 a month or $249 per year
• Safety & Security + Remote Access: $34.99 per month or $349 per year
• Safety & Security + Unlimited Access: $59.99 per month

Effective Date

The change in plans goes into effect on 2018 model year and newer Cadillacs starting on May 1, 2018.