Blog

According to the announcement made by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) this year, the ‘London Taxi’ concept service will be introduced using electric vehicles. The new taxi is distinguished by a black and semi-curved shape that mimics the British capital’s classic London Cab. The ‘London Taxi’ service will be launched on trial by the RTA’s Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) in February, and the service will be available at the Dubai International Airport.

Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Executive Board of Directors, said the new service is part of the RTA’s plans to improve Dubai’s taxi service further. Al Tayer made this comment during a visit to the DTC where he reviewed the Corporation’s success metrics in 2020 and the projects to be implemented this year.

The features of ‘London Taxi’ of Dubai

As updated by him, the ‘London Taxi’ interior features an impressive and comfortable interior that provides passengers with an expansive room and six seats in a separate cabin. The design also serves the needs of individuals with determination. In addition to the WIFI network, the taxi is equipped with a satellite navigation system, a voice command system, a forward collision alert system, a blind-spot detection system, and a lane departure warning system. Al Tayer also updated on the ‘London Taxi’ technical features. The model comes with duel set of engine that is designed to perform under various climate conditions. It also has an accelerated braking system and a battery that uses the rapid charging feature to recharge for only 30 minutes and the regular charging system for three hours.

Hybrid Vehicles

Hyundai Ioniq Electric vehicle has been inspected by Al Tayer with aerodynamic design, rear collision avoidance system, driving mode control system, regenerative braking allowing longer driving time and battery fast charging in just 54 minutes.

Digital and Virtual Control 

Al Tayer was also briefed on the integrated control center project, which uses future technology and a command and control application for mixed reality. The center provides a three-dimensional map, along with taxi efficiency metrics, of the overall operating state of the Dubai Taxi fleet. To encourage decision-making, the device will give precise instructions and make changes using hand signals, and include all data in a single view. Thanks to the experience of demand spots and the fleet’s smart routing capability, it would also maximize the number of profitable journeys.

Smarter Cars

He also reviewed the activities of DTC in the use of big data and artificial intelligence to boost smart vehicle control. Taxis have been built with new equipment to curb driver malpractice. This includes a system used by the emergency control center to interrupt the ambulance, a contingency monitoring system, and a delivery and scheduling system for the car. DTC began using big data in high-demand areas to run taxis. Around 220 vehicles were participating in the project, and by the end of last year, the number of transactions delivered had reached 141,000 transactions. To supply orders to consumers, DTC contracted with 12 firms and agencies.

Smarter Taxis

Al Tayer emphasized the importance of broadening the reach of using artificial intelligence and smart taxi systems. He pointed out that a drive like this would increase operating performance and offer riders satisfaction. The convergence of transit networks will also improve public transport passengers’ travel to their final destinations. He continued by calling to implement organizational resilience and creative ideas to consumers and the city to leverage DTC’s operations and services.