Although taxi driving as a profession hasn’t really changed for a number of years, there has been a range of technological advances which have helped bring the service into the digital age. Digital radio communicators, portable card readers and sat-navs have all improved the service for both the driver and the passenger, but what about technologies of the future?  What are they and how will they improve the experience? Here are 3 technologies set to improve your taxi in the coming years. 

1 – Smartphone Bookings

There are a number of taxi booking apps that you can download on your smartphone or tablet which allow you to bypass the sometimes arduous process of calling an operator to make your booking. Instead, you simply put in your postcode and tell the app how many of you there are and book ahead. It’s simpler than ringing because there can’t be any communication failures and the orders can go straight through to the driver. In the future, these apps could become advanced enough to know how many potential customers there are in a certain area and dispatch that number of taxis.

2 – Passenger Displays 

At present, if you want to check the route you’re going on, you have to stare closely at the scratched up, cloudy screen of the sat-nav perched next to the steering wheel, but soon, this won’t be necessary. Instead, taxis will be equipped with advanced analytics and mapping tools to prove that the route you’re taking is the most efficient one. You’ll also be able to see how long your journey will take and the cost. If there is any news relevant to your route, the displays will show it, allowing you to circumvent possible traffic accidents or blockages.

3 – Driver and Passenger Aids

Driver aids are pieces of tech which help you be a better driver. For example, with greater internet integration, our road signs will be able to communicate with our taxis to force them to slow down when the speed limit drops, or to stop when the traffic lights change to red.  Passenger aids are technologies to help passengers have a more comfortable journey, such as wheelchair accessibility technologies such as lifts. Some of these technologies are already available from specialist providers such as Cab Direct, so have a browse today.

So there you have it – three technologies that are set to revolutionise taxis in the coming years.