Hamburg-based myTaxi has today announced it will launch the first mobile payment system in the German cab market. The startup will enable its users to pay for their taxi rides directly through their smartphones.
Up till now, other similar payment systems in Germany required additional NFC solutions, QR codes or other add-ons. But with myTaxi Payment, co-founders Niclaus Mewes and Sven Külper say they will give passengers a direct billing process with the driver.
Mewes said: “With myTaxi Payment, from now on, passengers will be able to travel by taxi without needing cash. They simply pay both cardless and cashless.” After a confirmation and inputting the PIN, payment occurs from device to device within seconds.
“With our new myTaxi Payment product we will revolutionise the taxi branch once again,” added Mewes. A bold statement – but myTaxi, which was launched in June 2009 and which is the market leader in Germany with one in every five rides using the service, is determined to stay ahead of the varied competition in the taxi app space.
The system will see drivers pay a 3.9 percent commission fee plus €0.21 transaction costs for each completed journey. There will be no extra charge for the passenger. The myTaxi Payment service is run in partnership with PayPal and Wirecard and is currently available through the iOS app, with Android to follow.
Do you want to see a naked man running around trying to find shops which accept mobile payments before eventually finding a cab which does? Course you do.