Sony's S.RIDE Partners With Location Technology Company what3words
Japanese Minnano Taxi Corporation is partnering with location technology company what3words to make it easier for Tokyo residents find their exact destination through the S.RIDE taxi-hailing app.
Minnano Taxi (Everybody’s Taxi) Corporation was formed last year by Sony Payment Services, Sony Corp. itself, and six taxi companies.
The partnership will enable taxi passengers to enter a 3 word address for their drop-off location, meaning they will no longer have to enter long and complex traditional addresses. what3words has divided the world into a grid of 3m x 3m squares and given each a unique 3 word address made of three words.
what3words' built-in AutoSuggest feature uses error prevention to suggest the correct 3 word address, even if your search contained typos or other mistakes. what3words input will be available in the S.RIDE app in both Japanese and English.
Moving around Tokyo will now be simpler than before, and drivers will no longer have to search for the correct drop-off locations. Whether it's a specific door, shopping mall entrance, street corner or park gate, allowing taxi passengers to enter 3 word addresses will enable the fastest possible route planning.
Since launching earlier this year, S.RIDE has been offering end-users a simple, smart and speedy way to navigate the city, tapping into Tokyo's largest network of taxis.
In 2018, the Sony Innovation Fund announced it had backed what3words.