How OnStar Works

Search HowStuffWorks and the web:

OnStar by GM

How OnStar Works

Being in a car accident is a nightmare -- you're often disoriented, upset and unsure of what to do once the actual crash is over. But if your car is equipped with GM's OnStar service, you don't even have to find your cell phone. The system can get help for you. It can also check your e-mail hands-free, make hotel reservations, and unlock your car if you've locked your keys inside, among other things. Read More

Global Positioning Systems

How GPS Receivers Work

Our ancestors had to go to pretty extreme measures to keep from getting lost. They erected monumental landmarks, laboriously drafted detailed maps and learned to read the stars in the night sky. Things are much, much easier today. For less than $100, you can get a pocket-sized gadget that will tell you exactly where you are on Earth at any moment. Read More

Be Informed

How GPS Phones Work
Imagine driving to a job interviewand realizing that you're lost. Your first impulse would probably be to call the business that's interviewing you and ask for directions. But if you're not sure where you are, getting directions can be tricky. Read More

How GM's Hy-wire Works
Cars are immensely complicated machines, but when you get down to it, they do an incredibly simple job. Most of the complex stuff in a car is dedicated to turning wheels, which grip the road to pull the car body and passengers along. Read More

How Car Computers Work
Each year, cars seem to get more and more complicated. Cars today might have as many as 50 microprocessors on them. Although these microprocessors make it more difficult for you to work on your own car, some of them actually make your car easier to service. Read More

How BIOS Works
One of the most common uses of Flash memory is for the basic input/output system of your computer, commonly known as the BIOS (pronounced "bye-ose"). On virtually every computer available, the BIOS makes sure all the other chips, hard drives, ports and CPU function together. Read More

How Bluetooth Works
When you use computers, entertainment systems or telephones, the various pieces and parts of the systems make up a community of electronic devices. These devices communicate with each other using a variety of wires, cables, radio signals and infrared light beams, and an even greater variety of connectors, plugs and protocols. Read More

How Hard Disks Work
Nearly every desktop computer and server in use today contains one or more hard-disk drives. Every mainframe and supercomputer is normally connected to hundreds of them. You can even find VCR-type devices and camcorders that use hard disks instead of tape. Read More

How Operating Systems Work
If you have a computer, then you have heard about operating systems. Any desktop or laptop PC that you buy normally comes pre-loaded with Windows XP. Macintosh computers come pre-loaded with OS X. Many corporate servers use the Linux or UNIX operating systems. Read More