Operation of the Onstar(R) Speech Recognition Systems

OnStar Gen F1 users communicate with two speech recognition systems. Speech recognition allows the user to speak to a computer (one in the vehicle, and one reached over a phone line). The computer tries to understand the user's command, and responds by speaking back, or by taking the appropriate action (e.g. dialing the phone).

1. Personal Calling uses a speech recognition system that resides in the vehicle. When the user presses the dot button, the system says, "Ready", and listens for the user's command. The user can speak commands to control the hands-free phone.
2. Virtual Advisor is a remote speech recognition system that you access by making a phone call. The user connects to Virtual Advisor by requesting it in Personal Calling. The user is then transferred to the Virtual Advisor server and talks to it via a cellular connection.

The OnStar speech recognition systems use speech technology that is designed to understand a wide range of speakers of American English. Although there is no one "right" way to speak English, the system will work best when users try to modify their pronunciation. Users who do not obtain good results are advised to try the tips and workarounds found in this section. General Tips for Better Speech Recognition