Just curious if anyone knows much about Onstar? The question I have is if you don't have nav will Directions and Connections still download a map to your console screen? I don't really need gps nav(I didn't order it). I usually know where I'm going and when I don't I can read a map, BUT if the 3year OnStar Directions and Connections can download a map to that screen it would be a real boon! A cool feature for a map love'n anorak like me.:o

On the volt nav is standard and directions and connections is included for 5 years. On other vehicals without the Nav screen its displayed as text "turn by turn"across the radio display. On the no nav option in 2012 who knows... but I know the actual map images is not downloaded its should be lat long info and the turn by turn is calculated locally on the gps unit.

Okay, thanks for the info Rich. I'm getting the 2012, that's why I wasn't sure. I'll have to wait and try it out when I get mine. That would have been cool though if it did show a map... though text directions are good too. Regardless it is more than I have now! LOL

Actually, for 2012 the Nav is an option ($1995) with Turn by Turn/OnStar standard for 3 years. Turn by Turn won't download a map but I think it might display an indication to turn in 200 feet, go straight for 1 mile, etc. Maybe there is an expert on Ture by Turn out there

Can't speak for the 2012, but I have used Google maps to send a map to my Volt. You then use the Hands Free button and say "Virtual Advisor" to download the map. After that, I get a little fuzzy on where the map actually goes and how you get to it as I only tried it twice and it was a few weeks ago.

I actually just recently left my position at OnStar and I can tell you for sure that even without the nav option you will still be able to receive directions. Like the others have mentioned it is called turn by turn navigation and basically what happens is a voice just like in a nav system will come on and tell you when to make a maneuver. You won't see a map like you do on a nav screen but you will see arrows pointing which direction to turn, the name of the road to turn on and also a small bar that gets shorter the closer you get to making a turn. With it you will still be able to do things like listen to the radio it will just mute the radio and tell you when you need to make a turn.
I know that steverino mentioned that you can get a nav map to appear through google. You can absolutely download directions to the vehicle through google and map quest but unless you actually have the nav feature the directions will appear as I described above.
In my own opinion turn by turn is actually really neat for anyone who hasn't seen it and for $1995 just to have a map that I won't be looking at (because I'll be focused on driving) in front of me your definitely saving yourself quiet a lot of money.

Mapleleaf is correct about how D&C works without the nav.

Think about Google Maps. When you get directions there you see the map on the right and the turn-by-turn navigation on the left. The latter is what you would be seeing if you don't have the nav.

Since we haven't seen any Volts without the nav, I can't yet tell you whether it will show on the DIC or on the center screen, but you will see the information somewhere followed by audio instructions.

Luciano

Cool! D&C sounds like a huge deal! Why would you want the Nav when you can have D&C? I think I made the right decision in not getting the navi!

I agree with you there wainair! If you've never had OnStar before you will definitely like all of the other services you can get with directions and connections.

Another neat feature of On-Star is the following: Say you’re on a cross country trip, from Washington DC to St Louis to see "Nana & Dee-da“, and the wife says. Remember when we lived in Dayton 10 years ago, and we use to eat at the restaurant on Young's Dairy? Where you could get real Ice Cream made fresh from the cows, and those incredible "Buckeye" deserts? I wonder if that’s still there?

Well, as you drive down I-70, you can call up On-Star, speak with a real person, and say. What's the name the of the Restaurant on Young's Dairy in Dayton? They will do some searching for you on their computer in real time, and come back with, "Is it the Golden Jersey Restaurant? Yes that's it! Would you like me to upload directions to the Golden Jersey Restaurant to your Car? Yes please.

In a matter of seconds the directions are in the vehicle. If you have GPS nav, it becomes a waypoint on your planned route...on the fly...and you just follow the highlighted route on the map and listen to the voice prompts. I you only have turn by turn, the turn by turn directions are uploaded and you just follow the text in your vehicle information display. It will count down the miles until your next turn. Result...very happy wife.

The ability to speak with a human, while in route, to change plans/way points is very cool! You will love it if you ever try it.

I know that steverino mentioned that you can get a nav map to appear through google. You can absolutely download directions to the vehicle through google and map quest but unless you actually have the nav feature the directions will appear as I described above.

Sending a Destination from Google or MapQuest to my Volt is really cool. But I haven't figured out how to do this from my iPad and iPhone. The "send to car" option does not show up as an option on the Mobile versions of MapQuest or Google on Safari. If anyone has been able to send a destination from Google or MapQuest on an Apple mobile device to OnStar please post how you did it.