taxis

A day after conceding defeat in the Big Apple, Uber is bringing its taxi service to the City by the Bay.

The private car-summoning company announced today that it is bringing its cab-hailing service to San Francisco, allowing customers to request a taxi via an app on their iOS or Android device. At the end of a customer's ride, the driver will input the fare appearing on the cab's meter into an Uber iPhone -- along with a 20 percent gratuity and a $1 booking fee -- to determine the final charge, which is then billed to … Read more

A day after private car-summoning service Uber announced it was expanding into the cab-hailing business in New York, the city's Taxi & Limousine Commission issued an industry notice today that it had not authorized any apps for calling for taxis or paying for rides for use in New York City cabs.

"The T.L.C. is eager to pave the way for taxi riders to take advantage of the most up-to-date technology, including smartphone apps that may help passengers locate available taxicabs more quickly," David S. Yassky, the commission's chairman, said in a statement. "However, … Read more

Private car service Uber is veering off its usual course by offering its service to taxi drivers in New York City.

Starting tomorrow, Uber Taxi will allow New Yorkers to use the smartphone app to hail a cab in much the same way it's been used to summon private cars in cities around the country.

"This is the first time in three decades that New Yorkers can get a taxi without going to the street," Uber CEO Travis Kalanick told CNET. He also touted the service as offering greater accessibility in neighborhoods where taxis don't normally … Read more

In a brewing D.C. cab war, Internet-based Uber feels the city is trying to drive it out of town.

Uber, a quickly-growing startup that lets people request private car service in select cities via their smartphones, is once again battling the D.C. Taxicab Commission, which is reportedly considering legislation that would require sedan car services like Uber to charge at least five times the minimum fare charged by cabs, according to a copy of the amendment Uber posted.

"Sedans would be required to charge a minimum fare of five times the drop rate for taxicabs.[And] sedans … Read more

Steve Jobs gets vindicated this morning, as Adobe announced it's killing off Flash support for mobile devices.

We're also talking about the next evolution of New York taxi cabs replete with USB-charging stations, the entire city of Detroit protesting Nickelback, and an Irish airline offering an on-demand television app that will also feature adult channels. Gross or cool? We'll weigh both sides of the divisive argument.

Stream or download today's podcast after the break!… Read more

A few years ago, in 2007 to be exact, New York City officials set about reimagining the NYC taxi system from the ground up. The Taxi of Tomorrow project would eventually include new infrastructure and a new vehicle: the Nissan NV200 light commercial vehicle, which will be the next New York City taxicab for 10 years, beginning in 2013.

Taxi owners, drivers, passengers, and NYC residents will be able to kick the tires of the NV200 and smell (or, rather, not smell) the odor- and germ-reducing interior materials. Passengers may dig the rear seat's charging station that includes a … Read more

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Tuesday, August 2.

• Finally, President Obama signs debt limit bill after nasty fight to avert economic catastrophe Tuesday. According to CBS News, Obama said the deal to cut spending and increase the nation's $14.3 trillion debt limit marked an "important first step to ensuring that as a nation we live within our means."

• Doctor booking site ZocDoc announces $50 million funding round from DST Global, and plans to use the investment to expand its presence to … Read more

New York taxis move into the automotive future...Google street view is coming to VW dashboards...we take a look at the best low-tech car tech...and we roll in the amazing Audi A7 Sportback.

• CNET drives the 2012 Audi A7 3.0T

• Google Street View coming to VW dashboards soon

• New Sirius XM channel lineup

• What Satellite Radio 2.0 will look like

• Slideshow: CNET's picks for low-tech car tech

• CNET's LOLcars gallery!

Correction: This story originally reported that New York City would get 100 Nissan Leafs as a demonstration fleet. The correct number is 6.

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission has chosen Nissan's NV200 minivan to be its next taxicab, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday.

The Nissan van will join New York City's taxi fleet beginning in 2013, and be the official taxi of New York for the following 10 years. All taxis currently on the road, including the city's newer hybrid cabs, will be phased out by 2018.

As part of the deal, Nissan is … Read more