Dubai taxis to have 'smart meters'

RTA’s Public Transport Agency showcased the next generation ‘Smart Taxi Meters’ at this year’s Gitex 2013.

“The Smart Taxi Meters will allow the customers to see the taxi driver information in addition to his picture,” according to Adel Shakri Director, Transport Systems of the RTA Public Transport Agency.

“The Transport Systems Department will be able to send road safety messages and weather conditions to their taxi drivers using the Smart Meters. The Smart Meters will connect directly to the taxi’s on-board computers, which will be used to collect data for analysing driver’s behaviour. In addition, three dimensional maps will be available in all Smart Meters to provide route guidance, ” said Shakri.

“The department will also be able to send images of Dubai and information about upcoming events to the Smart Meter and then be displayed on the screen of the smart meters.”

“The Smart Meters would be integrated with the s Dispatcher 8 System of the Dispatch Centre that currently runs more than 8,500 taxis in Dubai. Initially, RTA plans to start rolling out the Smart Meters to 600 taxis this November,” he said.