Shopping from inside your car and pending component issues will soon be available on some “connected” Chevrolet models. Photo from www.chevrolet.com

Chevrolet began releasing information on their connected-car effort by releasing an invitation to their press conference at this year’s CES show that simply said, “Chevrolet Press Conference: Powerful. Simple. Connected.”

GM says that their cars have been connected for over 15 years and it was logical to broaden the services provided. Photo from www.chevrolet.com

Reading deeper into the invitation, the press conference, which was held on Sunday, January 4, 2015 (from 7-10 p.m. at the Mandalay Bay ballrooms I & J), press conference attendees were promised “amazing things” with new Chevrolets that were connected by OnStar 4G LTE. The invitation invited members to “explore the new future of connectivity and in-vehicle technology that isn’t too far away,” with more promises of a technology showcase to kick off the 2015 CES show.

While most of the press noticed that GM is trying to make it easier to shop from inside your vehicle using OnStar’s subscription-based service, there was another element of the 4G LTE connectivity service that made some members of the press raise their eyebrows.

Chevy’s announcement that select 2016 models will “team onboard sensors with the vehicles’ 4G LTE connection to potentially predict problems before they’re detectable by owners,” got some interested looks.

Popular Mechanics covered the press conference in their morning blog release, www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog

Initially the components that are set to be monitored and information collected are from the starter motor, battery, and fuel pump. This information will be sent to GM’s OnStar servers, where “proprietary algorithms” analyze the data to determine if something appears to be wrong. If the system identifies an issue, the car owner is notified via text, email, in-car warnings, or the OnStar application.

Photo from www.popularmechanics.com

As for the shopping from your vehicle, “We’ve had a connected car now for 15 years through our OnStar service, so it’s only logical that we extend its offerings based on what our customers have shown they want most,” says John McFarland, director of global marketing and innovation at GM. “One of the most requested things is a hotel during a road trip. So now in addition to providing that and directions to it, we can also offer the reservation with extra value.”

Chevrolet says the service will be available in some 2016 model-year versions of the Equinox crossover, Corvette sports car, Tahoe and Suburban SUVs, and Silverado pickups – with more nameplates to follow.