Gallery: NYC's All-New Nissan Taxi Absorbs Smells, Keeps Honking in Check
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Few things in New York are as iconic as its fleets of yellow and black taxis. But while the color scheme will stay the same, the shape is about to change with the introduction of the next-generation cab at the New York International Auto Show. Nissan won the competition to supply NYC's taxi fleet, redesigning and converting its NV200 cargo van for use in the Big Apple after researching what native New Yorkers, tourists and the men and women who shuttle them around want in a cab. The result is the first purpose-built vehicle since the Checker Taxi era ended in the early 1980s, and it's set to replace the Ford Crown Victorias, small SUVs and Toyota Prius hybrids that have been modified for taxi duty in the past three decades. Due to begin infiltrating city streets in 2013, the new Nissan taxi packs a range of custom-tailored features for the rough and tumble life of a New York City taxi. And while the new design might not carry the same inner-city romance as its predecessors, passenger's noses, spines and ears are sure to appreciate the new Nissan's details. *Photo: Noah Devereaux/Wired*
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Dramatically more legroom is one of the first things passengers will notice when they open up the door to the new Nissan taxi. Hail a cab and you can step into your ride and stretch out a bit once you do sit down. The main rear seat is big enough for three passengers and is made from an anti-microbial vinyl. Nissan's Francois Farion says, "99.9 percent of germs are killed on contact." And it's not a coating. Farion says it will last for the life of the taxi. Though you may be surprised to hear that it's a short life, only three years, which can mean as many as 400,000 miles. The minivan-style doors will feature sliding windows to provide passengers a bit of fresh air or an emergency hatch to avoid making a mess inside the cab. *Photo: Jason Paur/Wired*
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If it's the middle of July and fresh air is scarce outside, riders will be able to control air conditioning (or heat) in the passenger compartment. The driver can't turn it off, up or down. They only have the ability to reset it to 72 degrees. The new taxis feature dual USB chargers as well as a normal car charger. Nissan says this was debated quite a bit, but in the end it was thought that even an extra 10 minutes of charging would be appreciated. The floor is made up of partially recycled rubber, is fully lit and is blocked under the seats. It should be nearly impossible to lose something, assuming you look down before exiting. *Photo: Jason Paur/Wired*
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A massive polycarbonate window in the roof gives both tourists and locals a chance to watch the skyline while making their way through Manhattan. "We wanted people to discover and rediscover New York," Farion says about the see-thru roof, "It's a vertical city." The fabric-lined ceiling and interior walls are backed by an active carbon layer designed to absorb all sorts of smells. From cigarette smoke to the cabbie's lunch, the liner combined with the anti-microbial seats should help minimize one of New York's classic odors. *Photo: Jason Paur/Wired*
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A large handle doubles as a place for the payment tray on the right side of the passenger area. It's an easy way to slide a $20 to the driver who sits in front of clear polycarbonate glass. With the front passenger seat folded down, the driver has a table of sorts, and it gives passengers in the back a better view of the road ahead. *Photo: Jason Paur/Wired*
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There are two ways of communicating with your driver: A small sliding window can be opened in the divider for good old fashioned cabbie chit chat or simple directions. but if you're feeling less sociable there's an intercom system located just beneath the driver ID card on the left side of the passenger area. The big screen in the middle is simply a 15-inch version of the entertainment and information screen seen in many taxis today. *Photo: Jason Paur/Wired*
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In addition to the intercom system, the left side of the cab will also be home to the second method of payment, a credit card reader. The taxi on display at the New York Auto Show showed a simple reader for card payments via RFID, but Nissan's Farion says there will also be a more typical credit card slot reader on the production vehicle with a small printer inside the wall spitting out a paper receipt. *Photo: Jason Paur/Wired*
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Nissan poured hundreds of hours into engineering the ride comfort of the new taxi. At its vehicle testing facility in Arizona there's a "New York Avenue" stretch of road littered with potholes and other challenges to a cab's wheels and suspension. Farion says the wheels are painted a simple gray to keep them from looking too grimy, but the real secret is their ability to absorb the worst NY can throw at them. The same goes for the suspension, which is tuned for the rear occupants. Farion says the harshness of the potholes and bumps in New York are one thing, but it's the fact that cabs hit them loaded with passengers that takes its toll. The unique suspension developed for New York's streets is proving to be a popular selling point for Nissan. Taxi operators in India and Mexico have told the automaker that if the NV200 taxi's ride is good enough to handle New York, they figure it's good enough for other inhospitable environments, making the Big Apple the Nürburgring of the taxi world. *Photo: Jason Paur/Wired*
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Another aspect of taxis Nissan wanted to improve was the simple act of notifying those on the street whether or not the cab is available. A large wing-like structure mounted above the driver has a simple white light band that wraps around the sides. This light, along with an illuminated cab number, lets potential fares know the cab is available. There's also an illuminated "vacant" on the back window in case you can't see the sign mounted on top. Even better is a new "horn accountability light," which glows yellow when an overly caffeinated cabbie lays on the horn and could be a signal to police to issue a noise pollution ticket. *Photo: Jason Paur/Wired*
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The sliding doors on the new taxi are meant to minimize door dings and the possibility of a bicycle rider (or another car) from plowing into an open door. An illuminated outline of a person lets those behind the cab know somebody is exiting. Oh, and the classic yellow paint. Nissan has developed a special paint that will help cabs looking better after some minor repairs. It's not uncommon to see a Crown Vic with several patches of matte finish highlighting recent repairs. Time is money in the taxi world and a nice clear coat isn't always worth the extra effort. Nissan says the new paint will be a simple one coat spray that will be just as quick, but will have the shine of a more time-consuming paint job. *Photo: Jason Paur/Wired*
