§ 59E-22 — Technical Requirements – Approved Electronic Tablet

§ 59E-22 Technical Requirements – Approved Electronic Tablet.

No Electronic Tablet or Interior Advertising Software will be approved by the Commission pursuant to this subchapter unless it complies with the all the requirements set forth in this section. (a) Driver, Vehicle, and Software Authentication. (1) Upon boot-up, the Electronic Tablet must automatically check for and install any Software Updates prior to allowing the Driver to engage the Electronic Tablet. (2) Unless assigned to a specific Driver, the Electronic Tablet must only allow the Driver to engage the Electronic Tablet and Approved Software upon log-in using either biometrics or username and password, validated against a system-initiated search of Valid TLC Licenses. (3) If any required functionality or hardware is disconnected or inoperable, the Interior Advertising Provider must notify the Driver that the Electronic Tablet needs to be serviced and must not allow any Driver to engage the Electronic Tablet until the Electronic Tablet is repaired to full functionality or replaced. (4) The Electronic Tablet must automatically log a Driver out of the Electronic Tablet if another Driver logs into the Electronic Tablet. (5) The Electronic Tablet must prevent a Driver from logging into more than one Electronic Tablet at the same time. (b) Driver Functionality and Interaction. (1) Unless the Electronic Tablet is assigned to a specific Driver, the Interior Advertising System must enable the Driver to log off and log on. (2) The Interior Advertising System must allow a Driver to interact with the Electronic Tablet and/or Approved Software ONLY when the Vehicle is standing or stopped, except that the Electronic Tablet may permit a Driver to engage or disengage the Electronic Tablet with a single touch using pre-programmed buttons or using voice activation while the vehicle is in motion. (c) Passenger Functionality and Interaction. (1) Any Passenger-facing screen displaying third-party content must be authorized by the TLC and adhere to the following specifications: (A) the Passenger must be able to turn off any Passenger-facing screen (i.e. render the screen blank and muted) at any time, without obstruction; (B) the volume of any Passenger-facing device must be mutable and must be controlled by the Passenger, without obstruction; and (C) a Passenger-facing screen must display content that includes a reminder about the payment of a gratuity from a passenger to a driver. (2) Any Passenger-facing device that displays third-party content must display content provided by the TLC, subject to the following limitations: (A) The content provided by the TLC will be in the same format as the third-party content displayed by the Passenger-facing device; and (B) At least fifteen percent (15%) of the Passenger-facing device's advertising airtime will be comprised of TLC-provided content. (i) If an Interior Advertising System is integrated with a High Volume For-Hire Service (i.e. Passenger information is shared), the 15% advertising airtime must be calculated and played/broadcasted based upon each new dispatched trip. (ii) If an Interior Advertising System is not integrated with a High Volume For-Hire Service (i.e. Passenger information is not shared), the 15% advertising airtime must be calculated and played/broadcasted on an hourly basis. (3) Specific Passenger-Facing Functions. (A) No internet browser capability. (B) Only advertisements, personalized content, and games, that adhere to the content requirements in this chapter, through a software application. (C) No payment transaction capability. (D) No capturing of identifying information, as defined by § 12-2301* of the Administrative Code and the Office of Technology and Innovation Privacy Protection Protocols. * Editor's note: As set forth in City Record 2/4/2025, eff. 3/6/2025; § 12-2301 of the Administrative Code does not currenty exist. (E) An Approved Tablet may facilitate gratuities to the Driver through the means provided in 35 RCNY Chapter 59B. (4) Accessibility. Interior Advertising Providers must provide the following accommodations for Passengers with vision disabilities: (A) the ability for a Passenger with a vision disability to engage Approved Tablet features without requiring the assistance of a Driver; (B) audio instructions that include a reminder about the payment of a gratuity from a passenger to a driver. (5) Approved Tablets must not contain sharp features, such as corners, and must remain securely mounted or attached to a stationary component of a For-Hire Vehicle. (d) Interior Advertising System interoperability. The Interior Advertising System must be able to receive any Commission mandated change to the Approved Tablet and/or Approved Software via wireless communication initiated by the Interior Advertising Provider. (e) Advertisements and other passenger-facing content other than TLC-provided content. All Approved Tablets must conform to the following specifications: (1) All Passenger-facing content must comply with TV-Y through TV-G ratings in accordance with the standards established by the TV Parental Guidelines rating system from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. daily or a similar rating in industries where such rating exist, e.g. the Entertainment Software Rating Board's rating system for video games. (2) No Passenger-facing content may contain, imply, or declare endorsement by the City, the Commission, or any other agency of the City without the prior written consent of the Commission. (3) No Passenger-facing content may contain any content that falls within the following categories: (A) Advertisements or any other material or information promoting unlawful or illegal goods, services, or activities; (B) Advertisements or any other images, material or information containing obscene images or material (see New York Penal Law § 235.00, as such provision may be amended from time to time); (C) Advertisements or any other material, images, or description, which, if sold or loaned to a minor for monetary consideration with knowledge of its character or content, would give rise to a violation of New York Penal Law § 235.21 (see also New York Penal Law § 235.20) as such provisions may be amended from time to time; (D) Advertisements or any other images, material or information that are libelous, defamatory, infringe intellectual property rights, including but not limited to trademark, copyright or patent rights, of a third party, or violate New York Civil Rights Law § 50, as such provisions may be amended from time to time; (E) Advertisements or any other images, material or information that demean or disparage an individual or group of individuals. For purposes of determining whether any such advertisements or other images, material or information demean or disparage an individual or group of individuals, the Interior Advertising Provider will determine whether a reasonably prudent person of the For-Hire Vehicle ridership using prevailing community standards, would believe that such advertisements or other images, material or information ridicule or mock, are abusive or hostile to, or debase the dignity or stature of, an individual or group of individuals; (F) Advertisements or any other material or information that propose a commercial transaction where the material or information contained in it is false, misleading, or deceptive; and (G) Advertisements or any other material or information that propose a commercial transaction pertaining to or promote tobacco or tobacco-related products. (f) Security. All features of the Interior Advertising System required by this section, including the collection, transmission and maintenance of data by the Interior Advertising Provider, must comply and remain in compliance with the latest version of National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-53 and the information security and use of identifying information policy the Interior Advertising Provider has on file with the TLC pursuant to subdivision (b) of 35 RCNY § 59E-05. (g) Data Retention. All data required to be collected, transmitted and maintained pursuant to this section must be maintained for at least three (3) years. (h) Inspection by TLC. The Interior Advertising Provider must enable the Commission to inspect all components, including Hardware and mounting of the Interior Advertising System. (i) Only one Approved Tablet may be operated in a For-Hire Vehicle at any one time, pursuant to subdivision (i) of 35 RCNY § 59E-22. 35 RCNY § 59E-22(i) Fine: $100 if plead guilty before a hearing; $150 if found guilty following a hearing. Appearance NOT REQUIRED (Added City Record 2/4/2025, eff. 3/6/2025)