You don’t stand gawking at a taxi, unless it’s an Enzo, but the Mazda Taxi concept could make you stare every time you see it. The concept, developed as a taxi, keeps the specific requirements of the vehicle in mind. The first thing that comes out is, that the ways of approach to a taxi are different for the commuters and the driver; while the driver enters and leaves the vehicle from the street side, the commuters do that from the curb side. This allows the passengers’ luggage to be kept towards the street side, rather than putting it in the trunk. The approach makes for quick and easy ingress and egress for the passengers.

The concept adds a Bluetooth headset to the traditional GPS navigation system. With a number of cab drivers being immigrants from different countries, the cabby audio directions can be given in any language, taking care of the ethnic diversity of the drivers. The “wheelchair bridge” in the concept is a simple ramp that acts as a bridge between the commuter and the taxi to allow handicapped people enter the car. Designer Ernesto Rodriguez also envisions a “Mazda ZoomCard” that can work for cashless travel in the taxi, and also allow commuters to hail a passing Mazda Taxi using an built-in nano transponder.

Source:  Automotto.org