Vehicle Innovations

Just like having the right taxi insurance in place, taxi drivers will find technology has a vital role to play in protecting their vehicle and business.

The journey to work seems to get worse each day and commuters are trying to find new ways to beat the queues, with one in five turning to e-scooters instead of taxis and their own cars. This could be good news for the drive to reduce emissions and improve air quality.

Taxi drivers need one thing to make the switch to EV – to be sure that it will do at least what their current petrol or diesel cab will do. Anything less isn’t worth bothering with.

In simple terms, they want something with a decent range and can charge up whenever they need to so they can be on their way again in a matter of minutes.

Two driverless taxi operators insist their technology is safe as their cabs continue to be rolled out across one city, despite concerns raised by the emergency services.

Cruise and Waymo have been operating trials with driverless taxis in San Francisco in a bid to increase the number of autonomous taxis on the streets.

As the world’s elite athletes focus on next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, flying taxis are also preparing to make history.

Aviation start-up Volocopter is aiming to have its two-seater electric aircraft carrying passengers around Paris – which would make it the first service in Europe to use an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

Taxi drivers spend most of their time in their cars which must be able to do everything they need to earn a living.

As technology improves, there are more gadgets and features to make life on the road easier and more enjoyable. So, what could you not do without in your next taxi or private hire vehicle?

Flying cars have always been part of science fiction, but now they could be just around the corner, offering a new dimension to the taxi fleet.

On Monday, guests at the Paris Air Show will be treated to a virtual flight of Eve Air Mobility’s electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL).

A free taxi-hailing app has been launched in London to help good causes as ride-hailing apps battle it out to get the capital’s cabbies to join their platforms.

The move comes as Uber expands its global operations and revealed plans to add all licenced taxis on to its platform by 2025 – something many drivers in the UK’s capital want to resist.

A scientist has made a discovery that could keep the wheels of a car turning forever – saving taxi drivers a fortune in maintenance.

Taxi drivers work hard to maintain their vehicles so that passengers enjoy a comfortable and safe ride. But rising prices have put a squeeze on their incomes as they continue to pay for maintenance and repairs, as well as fuel and other rising running costs.

As trials continue to pave the way for driverless taxis, one manufacturer is recalling hundreds of thousands of vehicles following concerns about its driver-assistance software.

Pilot schemes for autonomous taxis have been carried out on public streets in a variety of major cities which have raised concerns.

Autonomous taxis are being allowed to spend more time on the road as one tech giant is stepping up a gear.

Chinese search engine firm Baidu has branched out into the driverless taxi sector and has seen demand grow, collecting nearly 500,000 fares in three months in Wuhan, with its autonomous taxis operating from 9am to 5pm.

The range and charging times of EVs are the biggest issues facing taxi drivers who have made the switch to greener motoring.

While they benefit from lower or no road tax, as well as not paying congestion zone or clean air charges, recharging their vehicles can be a major issue, especially if they have to wait their turn for the public charging network.