*By Christian Smith*
New York's ubiquitous yellow taxis are getting a much needed tech upgrade.
Curb Mobility, the company behind the Curb app that lets riders hail taxis from their smartphones like they would an Uber or Lyft, launched an initiative Thursday to equip New York's yellow cab fleet with a new tablet-based digital operating system.
"In the face of disruption, there is a unique opportunity to modernize and enhance the taxi experience for both sides," Curb's CEO Amos Tamam said in a statement. "By empowering drivers with tools that make their job easier and more profitable, they'll be able to focus on providing the utmost service to their riders."
There are two parts to Curb's new Android-based system. "Dash" is an 8-inch display that will replace the clunky dashboard boxes that have been in cabs for decades. The new dashboard tablet will track the cost of a ride, and it includes tools for the driver like multi-language support, GPS navigation, live traffic information, and an emergency panic button.
The "Ryde" component is for passengers, who have access to a 10-inch tablet with apps, including an updated version of Taxi TV.
"By opening up the platform, we're allowing third-party developers to come up with applications to run for that passenger," Jason Gross, Curb's vice president of mobile, said in an interview on Cheddar. "So it could be listening to Spotify or Pandora, it could be browsing restaurants or even making reservations on an Open Table right from the back of a taxi."
The new system will also give passengers price security. Rather than waiting until the end of the ride, Curb app users will be able to get a fixed price before the ride begins when they input their location and destination.
The new Curb operating system is being used in dozens of cabs around the city, with a wider rollout planed for June.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/nycs-taxis-get-a-tech-upgrade).
President Donald Trump says a deal struck by Netflix last week to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share. The Republican president says he will be involved in the decision about whether federal regulators should approve the deal. Trump commented Sunday when he was asked about the deal as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors. The $72 billion deal would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.
Disney's changes to a program for disabled visitors are facing challenges in federal court and through a shareholder proposal. The Disability Access Service program, which allows disabled visitors to skip long lines, was overhauled last year. Disney now mostly limits the program to those with developmental disabilities like autism who have difficulty waiting in lines. The changes have sparked criticism from some disability advocates. A shareholder proposal submitted by disability advocates calls for an independent review of Disney's disability policies. Disney plans to block this proposal, claiming it's misleading. It's the latest struggle by Disney to accommodate disabled visitors while stopping past abuses by some theme park guests.
With a merger this big, creators, studios, and theaters all face uncertain futures. Here’s what experts are worried about and what good could come from it.
With disengagement rising and hybrid work shifting, 'Everybody Matters' author Bob Chapman explains why treating people well could define the future of work.
We sat down with Ali Furman, U.S. Consumer Markets Industry Leader at consulting firm PwC to ask what trends she garnered from the initial data this year.
Seth Schachner breaks down Zootopia 2’s record-smashing debut, holiday box office trends, early 2026 Oscar contenders, and what’s next for Netflix and WBD.
Truist's Mike Skordeles unpacks earnings trends, market correction, labor force dynamics, and what a possible December rate cut could mean for all of us.
