Mumbai traffic police want barcodes or RFID tags in taxis, autos

The Hindu reports

To increase passenger safety, Mumbai Traffic Police will work with the government to ensure that all taxis and autorickshaws have some form of barcode or RFID chip (Radio-frequency identification) installed.

The State Transport Authority (STA) has already approved barcodes on CNG (compressed natural gas) tanks in autos and taxis to eliminate forged number plates. The government now wants to have one code or chip that integrates all relevant information about these public transport vehicles. A barcode system encodes information in a visual format that require a specialised device to read; RFIDs transmit information to devices either actively or passively.

Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Mumbai Police, said that the police were working with the government to create an easy-to-use and quick system. Also being discussed are the design of a mobile application and whether a new mechanism was needed for distress and emergency signals.

The proposed barcodes on CNG tanks are meant to ensure safety, Transport Commissioner Shekhar Channe said. These tanks must be recertified every three years by an authorised agency, and filling stations can refuse to provide gas to vehicles that do not possess a safety certificate. But taxi and and rickshaw operators often forge the plates on the cylinders that have details such as vehicle number, cylinder number, and the date of the last test.