The Cadillac Lyriq will offer connected services in Australia, enabling built-in Google Maps among other features, but functionality is limited compared to the equivalent system in the US.
The 2025 Cadillac Lyriq electric SUV has been confirmed as the first modern-era GM vehicle to receive connected services in Australia.
General Motors Australia – the local parent of Cadillac, along with Chevrolet, GMC, and Holden aftersales – has announced it will launch Cadillac Connected Services "from late 2025" to offer some, but not all, functions available overseas under its OnStar umbrella.
It will also include in-built navigation, a feature currently absent from the $122,000 plus on-road costs Cadillac Lyriq – outside of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – which is offered in key German rivals.
It will be the first time GM has supported a telematics system in Australia since it launched 'Holden Assist' in Commodores and Statesmans two decades ago, using the older GSM '2G' mobile network.
Cadillac Connected Services will be included for eight years from the date of first registration for Model Year 2026 vehicles onwards, and will be available in the Cadillac Optiq and Vistiq electric SUVs when they launch next year.
All Lyriqs will include support for Cadillac Connected Services – with 4G network connectivity, but not 5G – with a no-cost upgrade required for existing customers at a Cadillac service centre, currently limited to one location in Sydney.
Permanent sales and service locations in Melbourne and Brisbane are in the works, the brand says, with test drives currently available from Port Melbourne.
A General Motors Australia spokesperson told Drive the company is unable to confirm if telematics support is planned for the Chevrolet Silverado, Corvette and GMC Yukon, which are sold locally at GMSV dealerships separate from Cadillac.
The GMSV vehicles currently lack native satellite navigation in Australia – as does the Cadillac Lyriq, until the connected services are enabled.
However, they include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing drivers to connect their smartphone to use navigation apps such as Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze.
At launch, Cadillac Connected Services will enable support for Google built-in services – including Maps, Assistant and the Play Store – plus a smartphone application to send remote commands to the vehicle or view its parked location, and over-the-air software updates.
The local Cadillac service offers similar functionality to core 'OnStar Basics', which are standard for eight years in the United States for 2025 or newer Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC and Buick vehicles.
'OnStar Basics' include Google built-in services, Amazon Alexa voice assistant support, Waze navigation support, remote commands, and automatic calls to emergency services in the event of a collision.
The 'OneStar One' service – complimentary for three years in new Cadillacs in the US – adds a 'Guardian' smartphone application, roadside assistance, stolen vehicle tracking, an in-car Wi-Fi hotspot, built-in Spotify and audiobooks, and video streaming support.
It also includes support for the Super Cruise hands-free driving system, which is not available for the Cadillac Lyriq in Australia due to government regulations prohibiting automatic lane changes – though the necessary hardware is fitted to local examples.
The current monthly cost for 'OnStar One', which is also available for Chevrolet, GMC and Buick owners in the US, is $US35 ($AU54).
"Cadillac is constantly evaluating new technology for its vehicles, software and Mobile App. New updates and features will be communicated as soon as they are ready for customers," General Motors Australia said in a media release.
More details on Cadillac Connected Services will be confirmed closer to when it is enabled in Australia sometime in "late 2025".
Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
