Original story

New York Times/articles service/Youssef M. Ibrahim 4.2.2002

Cybertaxis ease orienteering problems in Virtual Helsinki

The computerized facsimile of the Finnish capital, Virtual Helsinki, is now equipped with an impressive fleet of virtual taxis; instead of waving an umbrella, you hail a cab with a click of your mouse. This so-called “118 Taxi” service will greatly ease users’ movements around the virtual metropolis.

Thus far, travel in the virtual environment has been somewhat hampered by the fact that the control methods and software installed in PCs have been inadequate for the task in hand. Some users have grumbled that getting about virtually in Helsinki requires skills approaching those of a helicopter pilot.

These problems are not common to all, however. When orienteering competitions have been held in Virtual Helsinki, the fastest competitors have managed to visit as many as ten different sites in under a minute.

Jukka Lehikoinen, the virtual city’s Press Officer, expresses some surprise at the complaints about manoeuvrability that have come up. “It looks as though there are some people who can’t be bothered to walk even virtually”, he observes laconically.

The new virtual taxis are not just address directories, they can be consulted for all kinds of advice and assistance. In order to search out the information sought, all they require is an address, phone number, or any name or service that can be found from the virtual city’s databases.

A charming young lady whom I met over lunch in a downtown restaurant confided that she had recently woken up alone in the apartment of a newly-acquired boyfriend, and discovered - presumably after the numbing effects of the previous night’s partying had worn off - that she had a terrible toothache: “I couldn’t even find a telephone directory so I could call the dentist”, she complained. “Luckily I spotted he had a PC open on his desk, and I logged in to Virtual Helsinki. I hailed a virtual cab, but when I was faced with the destination panel, I couldn’t think of what I should write. I was pretty furious, and the best I could do was to clip the driver around the ear with the mouse. This smiley face looked back at me and asked me what he could do for me. Then all of a sudden the face went a bit strange, and he said: “Wow, lady, don’t you think you’d be better off in a dressing gown, however virtual we all are?” You know what? The bloody vidphone was on. That filthy pig had left it open all night!”

The young woman told me that in the end she was very satisfied with how things worked out, except for the accidentally-on-purpose open video minicam connection. “Yes, the virtual taxi dropped me off at the nearest dentist’s surgery. I got an appointments book up on the screen, and made a videophone connection with the receptionist. She gave me a time, and I left straightaway. Well, nearly straightaway. First I deleted all the .CAM files from that bastard’s hard disk - and a bit more besides.” The 118 Taxi service takes its name from the local phone operator’s conventional number enquiries facility, which also maintains the virtual taxi program. The old name- and number service is still in use, of course, as the majority of Helsinki residents are still reliant on fixed lines and cellphones. A Helsinki Telephone Co. representative told me, however, that he believes the new system will rapidly replace the old. At the same time, during the next decade or so it can be expected to replace the familiar bulky city telephone directories and the maps contained in them, which many people cut out and keep in their cars.

Toteuma-arvio 2026

Toteuma lyhyesti

  • Ilmiön toteuma: 4/5
  • Toteuma viiden vuoden tarkkuudella: kyllä; arviointi-ikkuna on 1997–2007
  • Toteuma väljemmällä aikahorisontilla: kyllä, erittäin vahvasti
  • Ilmiön ydin: digitaalisessa 3D-ympäristössä liikkumista helpottavat hakemisto, reititys ja automaattinen siirtyminen haluttuun kohteeseen.

Virtuaalimaailmojen kartat, teleportointi, hakutoiminnot ja opastetut siirtymät toteuttavat kybertaksin tehtävän. Erillistä taksimetaforaa ei yleensä tarvita, koska sama toiminto on rakennettu käyttöliittymään.

Johtopäätös: ydintoiminto toteutui, vaikka tarinallinen taksi korvautui käyttöliittymän navigaatiolla.