Locally-based taxi company CityCab, Hewlett-Packard and Ericsson Singapore have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to implement Project Escalade, a mobile solution that makes use of a personal area network (PAN) within a taxi, allowing passengers and drivers to wirelessly access the Internet.
As the PAN is linked to other public networks like GSM and GPRS, passengers would be able to access the Internet from their own personal digital assistants. Taxi drivers, too, would be able to accept e-payment options and process bookings using the mobile solution.
With a total investment of over S$15 million (AU$15.8m), the first trial of Project Escalade is expected to involve 500 CityCab taxis by the end of the year. There are hopes for a global rollout of the solution in a few years' time, the statement said.
Under the MOU, HP would be supplying the voice activation solution enabling CityCab to process passenger calls and send booking orders to the handheld PC in the taxis. Ericsson, meanwhile, would be developing the mobile services--including booking and settling fares--using technology like location-based services, Bluetooth, GPRS and 3G networks.
For CityCab, "the open standard platform will open the door to numerous other e-services and potential M-commerce opportunities, transforming our company into a service provider role in this Internet age", said CityCab CEO Lim Hung Siang.
The announcement was made at CommunicAsia 2001, one of Asia's premier telecommunications and IT events. Organised by Singapore Exhibition Services, CommunicAsia 2001 runs from June 19 to 22 at the Singapore Expo.
Oh really?
I think I will spend my travel time on more relaxing pursuits, like daydreaming and watching clouds.
We don't need another time filling gadget or idea to clutter our already busy days.
It is time to start bucking the trend by insisting on new technology that actually makes our lives easier rather than create ways to consume every waking minute.
What next, personal computing during system down time (a.k.a sleeping)?