Electronic interactive map for Expo launching in over 10,000 Shanghai taxis

• Source: Global Times
• [10:09 October 30 2009]
• Comments

Click to find locations all over Shanghai and at the Expo.  Zoom in and out.  In Chinese or English.  Then click a button and it will tell the driver for you, in Chinese, where to go. Touchmedia, China’s world leading in-taxi interactive media company, in partnership with the Shanghai Municipal Institute of Surveying & Mapping, has just unveiled an electronic map to make taxi passengers lives easier.

Creating the map to support the Expo and its theme of "Better City. Better Life." took more than 12 months of research and development and cost 1 million RMB. The Touchmedia interactive system has already been greeted by Expo officials as the, "Most welcomed source of interactive information" on the official Expo internet site.  Now with the next phase of Expo support, the new multi-function map program will be launched in November in over 10,000 taxis in Shanghai.  Phase 3, with a special map of the Expo area, will launch January 1st, to celebrate the start of Shanghai’s Expo year.

Proudly explained Thomas Chan, head of Research and Development at Touchmedia, "This is ground breaking technology.  I do not know of anyone who has combined interactive, display, zoom, photo and voice technology in this way before.  And to do it on a mobile platform is truly unique."

Let the map "SAY" the destination for you

After touching the Map Icon button, a map of Shanghai appears on the screen.  Passengers can easily navigate left, right, up and down, or zoom in and out. A display on the right side of the screen also lets them select from seven categories of destination: tourist attractions, shopping areas, hotels, entertainment, restaurants, government offices, and major transportation. The map has nearly 100 important landmarks in total, many with photographs for even greater convenience.

Uniquely, it can also "talk" to the driver. On finding the location in English or Chinese, the passenger can press a button and the unit will immediately tell the driver in perfect Mandarin where to go. 

"Shanghai will have more than 50 million out of town visitors for the Expo and more than 3 million will be foreigners," related Touchmedia CEO Mr. Micky Fung. "Unlike a mobile GPS it can actually talk to the driver. We hope this service will make their stay more convenient and enjoyable, not just whilst they visit the Expo, but wherever they travel, to restaurants, shopping and attractions all over the city."