The gradual modernisation of the taxi: what has changed and what stays the same

The modernisation of the taxi has been gradual and shows in six areas: how you order one (from a raised arm to the website, WhatsApp or apps), how it is dispatched (from radio to GPS terminals), how it navigates (from the street atlas to a sat nav with traffic data), how you pay (from cash to card, phone and online payment), the vehicles (safer and less polluting) and accessibility. What has not changed is the foundation: a licensed public service, accredited drivers and official fares.

For decades there were two ways to get a taxi: hail one in the street or call a dispatch centre. The centre noted the address and announced it over the radio so that the nearest driver could respond. Today the request comes in by phone, website, messaging or app, and the job is sent to a screen terminal in the taxi, which shows the address and allows it to be assigned to the best-placed free vehicle.

For customers, the big step forward is being able to book in advance at a fixed price, which is especially useful for getting to the airport. We compare the channels in ordering and paying for a taxi with your phone, and the traditional phone service is still going strong in our phone taxi service in central Madrid.

In the past, drivers relied on their memory and a paper street atlas. Today they use sat navs with traffic information that help them choose the route, although knowing the city is still essential when there are roadworks, closures or the signal drops. Passengers can also follow the route on their own phone.

The card reader has become a standard part of the taxi, and with it payment by card, phone or watch. A printed receipt with the journey details is also part of the usual equipment. We describe everything a modern taxi carries in technology in Madrid's taxis.

Today's taxis are safer, with systems such as automatic emergency braking, and far less polluting. In Madrid hybrids now dominate and electric taxis are on the rise. The offer for special needs has also improved: adapted taxis for people with disabilities, larger vehicles for groups and child seats on request.

All this modernisation has happened without changing the essentials. A taxi still needs a municipal licence, whoever drives it holds a permit that requires passing an exam, the taximeter applies fares approved by the authorities and the vehicle keeps its official livery. If you are curious about where it all comes from, we look at its origins in the history of the taxi and the taximeter.

For getting to Barajas, all that evolution boils down to something simple: booking your airport taxi in three steps, seeing the fixed price instantly and paying however you prefer.