June 12, 2015—General Motors’ OnStar unit is introducing technology that may accurately predict the severity of crash victims’ injuries and communicate it to first responders, according to a report by USA Today.
The technology will be called Injury Severity Prediction and will be available through any Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicle with the entry-level OnStar subscription.
An algorithm analyzes information, such as force and direction of impact, and OnStar Advisors will then communicate the severity rating to emergency call centers.
To create the Injury Severity Prediction, GM and OnStar employees worked for the past four years with the University of Michigan’s International Center for Automotive Medicine.
"This service enables first responders to better treat injuries today, and in the long run, it will allow us to prevent certain injuries from occurring. With access to this information, our engineers can analyze today's safety systems to identify those features most effective in preventing severe injuries in the future," said Jeff Boyer, GM vice president of global vehicle safety, according to USA Today.
