Face it: New York's taxis are pretty low tech when you compare them to cabs from around the world. So to celebrate the taxi's 100th anniversary, the folks at the Design Trust for Public Space are heading up the Taxi 07 project, an exhibit at the New York International Auto Show that'll showcase what future cabbies could look like. So aside from Internet capabilities and soaring 200 mph speeds, what else can we expect from these future taxis? Well....

First off you have the first wheelchair-accessible taxi with its own built-in ramp. This cab will make it easier for the disabled and elderly to hitch a ride across town. Taxi stands will also get a face lift with GPS kiosks that'll help match taxi supply with taxi demand. Hailing a cab will be easier than to new LED-based roof lights which will let passengers know when a cab is vacant or taken.

There's also a new hydrogen-powered Crown Victoria taxi in the works that will pack a 1,000 horsepower engine and reach speeds of up to 200 mph (not that we want our taxi to reach 200 mph speeds). Taxi interiors will all have Internet access, which should put an end to any awkward taxi-driver talk. No word on when we'll actually see these cabbies in action, but they sure make those "new" subways seem outdated. – Louis Ramirez

Taxi 07

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