Kakao unveiled a high-end call taxi service “Kakao Black Taxi” and is set to launch a trial service at the end of this month. Kakao held a press conference at a hotel in Seoul on October 20.
High-end taxi is a new taxi service which is introduced after the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transportation eased the regulation on taxi services in September. Unlike existing mid-sized taxis and deluxe taxis, the vehicles with an engine displacement of more than 2.8 liters can run without being installed with meters, card readers and the signboard on the rooftop or the trunk of the taxi.
Kakao Black Taxi will be operated on a call and reservation basis. To launch this service, Kakao joined hands with the Seoul Taxi Association and Highend Taxi Co. The entire process ranging from calling Kakao Black Taxi to payment will be covered by the existing Kakao Taxi app.
The biggest difference between Kakao Black Taxi and existing Kakao Taxi will be the level of service offered by drivers and the payment method. The chauffeur of Kakao Black Taxi in a formal suit will offer an excellent level of service ranging from greetings to guiding, with a variety of items such as mineral water and smartphone chargers on offer.
Kakao Black Taxi will use the automatic payment module of Kakao Pay as the main payment method. Once passengers pre-registered their credit cards on the Kakao Taxi app, their taxi fare is automatically paid when they arrive at their destination.
