by Samantha Murphy on Mashable
At the 2012 New York International Auto Show on Tuesday, Nissan showed off the New York taxi of the future. The new cab features electrical outlets, USB ports and a dedicated air conditioner that’s passenger-controlled.
Called the 2014 Nissan NV200 — and known as the Taxi of Tomorrow — the iconic yellow cab will undergo a big tech makeover next year. Following a two-year competitive bid selection process, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) announced in May 2011 that the Nissan NV200 Taxi will be the exclusive taxi to the city beginning in late 2013.
“In addition to the rear screen that will provide entertainment, maps and payment for the passenger, there is also a dedicated air conditioner that can be controlled independently from the driver’s system,” Peter Bedrosian, senior manager of product planning at Nissan North America, told Mashable. “We also incorporated a 12-volt electrical outlet and two USB ports, so passengers can charge their portable devices while riding in the taxi.”
LED lighting is also featured on the bottom of the backseat’s floor, so you can better step into the cab at night and see if you’ve dropped anything on the way out.
For the driver, there is a built-in GPS system, as well as a USB Auxiliary audio input and charge port to charge their devices while on the go. The Nissan NV200 also comes with a driver-passenger intercom system.
The suggested price of the taxi is about $29,700.
Nissan is also working with New York City and taxi owners to study the use of zero-emission electric vehicles as taxis. As a part of a pilot program, Nissan will provide six 100% electric Nissan LEAFs and three Level 2 charging stations to test the electrification of the taxi fleet.
