Whether it’s for airport transfers or evening and nights runs into town, there is a massive demand for taxis. Having a good car is important to attract new customers but also for the driver’s comfort. From new sleek design to eco-friendly vehicles, car companies are slowly rethinking vehicles to be able cope with new issues such as the growing population, environment issues and more. But what is the taxi of tomorrow? What technologies can we expect and what are The Best taxi out there in terms of innovation?
Theself-driving taxies
During a presentation focused on autonomy, Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, presented his plan of putting on the road over one million of “RoboTaxis” which won’t need human drivers. Customers will then be able to book a self-driving RoboTaxi through an app, the same way we call for an Uber today. RoboTaxis will use a ton of sensors such as forward-facing radars and cameras with the help of super advanced software, unlike Tesla’s competitors currently using a different technology all together.
Autonomous cars are already a big thing this year and are no longer the stuff of sci-fi movies. Google’s self-driving cars, Waymo, but also Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, they all have collaborated on similar trials using the latest technology on public roads. The key to autonomous cars is to implant a technology able to view 360 degrees of its surroundings, just like a human driver. LiDar is one of those technologies that makes self-driving car possible. Using light detection and ranging, it uses very small lasers to create a 3D image of the surroundings.
Where are we at now?
Nowadays, taxis are all about comfort and efficiency. Nobody likes to wait, and nobody wants to sit in a car that’s uncomfortable… That’s why today a lot of company such as Cab Direct, offer the latest models of berlines like the Mercedes Benz M8 with brand new features to make the drivers and passengers’ life easier.
We also see a change in the big cities. A pure-electric black cab has been launched in London with brand new features such a contactless payment, heated seats and enlarged glass roof. There is also an increase in independent apps working the same way than Uber to help taxis firm keep their clientele. However, one of the many challenges is to able to keep or even lower the price of a fare while keeping a steady rise in new technologies and features within these vehicles.
The future of the taxi industry looks bright and we are clearly seeing more and more innovations everyday with the advent of autonomous cars and phones applications. For now, it is important for taxi firms to invest in quality cars to keep with the demand.
