GM Ventures backs RapidDeploy
GM Ventures participated in the $40 million Series B funding round of RapidDeploy , a public safety technology company working to accelerate Next Generation 911.
Earlier this year, OnStar and RapidDeploy launched a program to supply every 911 call center in California with OnStar’s Automatic Crash Response notifications. Using built-in sensors on vehicles with an active OnStar service plan, OnStar Automatic Crash Response notifications can:
- Help detect a moderate-to-severe crash and send notifications directly to 911 Centers via RapidDeploy RadiusPlus maps.
- Deploy without having to rely on verbal relay of information, including the location, make and model of the vehicle and available crash details.
- Indicate the probability of severe injury and whether the vehicle involved in a crash is electric, providing first responders with information they need to respond safely, and quickly rescue occupants, when applicable.
When a moderate-to-severe crash is detected, OnStar Automatic Crash Response can also automatically connect to a specially-trained Emergency-Certified Advisor, who can offer help if a member is involved in a crash.
“For 25 years, OnStar has served as a leader in safety and security services, providing help to our members in times of need. We value our continued work with RapidDeploy and look forward to scaling this important program within the US. This latest milestone in our collaboration with RapidDeploy demonstrates OnStar’s commitment to keeping members and first responders safe during emergencies and supporting new innovations to advance Next Generation 911 initiatives.” – Catherine Bishop, senior manager, OnStar Emergency Services.
“911 centers should not have to pay for critical data needed to save lives. At RapidDeploy, we are committed to establishing cloud-based, data-driven integrations at no cost to public safety or to the communities we serve. Working with General Motors’ OnStar helps enable our open ecosystem designed to improve public safety workflows.” – Steven Raucher, co-founder and CEO of RapidDeploy.
“The increased availability and speed of incident data into the hands of responders is a game-changing improvement . Having as much information as possible as we respond to an incident is paramount to not only providing the best emergency services we can, but also to improving responder incident awareness and safety. We owe it to our communities and to our responders to leverage technology so that it improves our services and safety, and the work that OnStar and RapidDeploy are implementing certainly helps us to get there.” – Deputy Chief Tom Clemo of the Santa Monica Fire Department in California.
