Apple Watch with taxi apps: The first taxi hailing apps have been integrated into the Apple Watch. In addition to Uber and mytaxi, these include the ‘eCAB’ app, which is one of the founding members of the Global Taxi Network (GTN) and is now also being used in Vancouver, Canada.
http://globalnews.ca/news/1961465/vancouver-cab-companies-joining-forces-with-smartphone-app/
Tesla goes to China: In Wuhan, twin city of Arnhem, Bordeaux, Duisburg, Manchester, Markham, Pittsburgh and St. Pölten, the plan is to introduce a total of 1,100 electric taxis to the streets: 100 Tesla S 85, 500 Dongfeng Aeolus A60 EV and 500 BYD electric taxis.
http://en.hubei.gov.cn/news/newslist/201504/t20150422_644255.shtml
Number of the day
81
The number of participants at ‘TAXIintell Update 2015’ last week in Amsterdam. The international taxi conference, organised by our partner website www.taxiintellicence.com, featured top-class speakers and exciting taxi-related themes. A typical case of quality over quantity.
Automobile news
The world’s first electric taxi prototype: A research group has developed an electric vehicle for exclusive use as a taxi. It has been driving in Singapore for a few days.
http://taxi-news.co.uk/electric-taxi-designed-to-cool-riders-with-lesser-energy-unveiled-at-ntu/
News from Germany
Airport conflict in Stuttgart: Rumours have surfaced about a conflict between the Stuttgart taxi trade and the airport. The taxis are threatening to strike, while the airport is threatening to outsource to external providers.
Step down in Stuttgart: The chairmen of the board and his deputy at the Stuttgart radio circuit TAZ have resigned.
News from Austria
Many questions about the taxi murder in Wels: Did a female taxi driver in Austria fall victim to the suspect only because he found her white Mercedes so attractive?
Taxi driver dies in head-on crash: He was on his way to pick up the last guests at a surf party in Burgenland. But an Audi Q7, whose young driver lost control of the vehicle, drove into him.
http://www.oe24.at/oesterreich/chronik/burgenland/Party-People-toeteten-bei-Crash-Taxler/186002938
autonomous drive
Pros & cons: A controversial discussion on the future of autonomous driving was held during a world congress in Detroit.
Our last words
Increase in customers for the taxi trade: The German government would like to confiscate the driving licences of shoplifters, tax evaders and other criminals. It’s an absurd idea that could benefit the taxi trade. After all, we also carry passengers who are petty criminals if they are banned from using their own cars.
http://www.rp-online.de/politik/deutschland/bei-steuerbetrug-fuehrerschein-weg-aid-1.5024706
About this update: Our bilingual ‘update’ summarises the international news of the last days and hours. As some of the links are in foreign languages, we recommend using a website translator.
