Staying in touch is important to all of us, especially on the road. With the high tech communication services that are available for most new vehicles, it's getting easier and safer to do. "There are 100 million people in the United States that have cellular phones and the statistics say 50 to 70 percent of those phones are being used while driving," said Chet Huber, president of OnStar. "We represent an absolutely safer alternative to hand-held phone and the kind of distraction that represents." More Than Just Calls This communications technology (or telematics, as it's called) in your car, allows you to do more than just make hands-free calls. With services like OnStar, if you lock your keys in the car, a quick call and you're in, according to Huber. Lost? A push of the OnStar button and a friendly voice points the way. In an accident, the telematics technology automatically alerts a representative who can immediately deploy medical or police assistance. First available only in luxury cars, telematics is now being offered in a much wider array of product lines, for as little as $15 a month. "OnStar did start on General Motors vehicles and that's where we launched in the fall of 1996," says Huber. "Since then we've broadened and now have relationships with Lexus, with Honda and I would hope we're going to add other vehicle manufacturers as well. We believe OnStar services can be of great value to a very broad section of the motoring public." Telematics technology offers a much wider range of services to the new car buyer, as well as safety and security, all with the added benefit of hands free operation, due to increasing concern over driver distraction issues.