Taxi payment traffic modernized by HiQ and Semel

Taxi payment traffic modernized by HiQ and Semel

- Semel taximeter first to receive MID certificate in Nordic countries

HiQ and Semel, the leading Nordic provider of taxi IT solutions, have modernized
the systems used in taxis to control payment traffic. The new-generation
taximeter has been designed for export and is the first in the Nordic countries
to receive the MID certificate required by the EU.


Semel is introducing a comprehensive new-generation solution for essential taxi
functions, payment traffic and dispatching. The solution consists of three
devices, taximeter, vehicle computer and payment terminal, which can be bought
together or separately.

- Better compatibility is key in the new devices. They communicate with each
other, which means that the driver does not need to use as much time to operate
the different devices while driving, Semel's business director Tuomo Roivainen
says.

HiQ has developed the software platform for Semel's new taximeter as well as the
new EMV-approved payment terminal, which is made by French Sagem and marketed by
Semel. EMV is an international charge card standard that enables payment by chip
card. The Semel taximeter has been designed for the European market, and is the
first in the Nordic countries to receive the EU MID certificate.

- The software platform is designed in a way that allows for easy updates and
smooth localisation in different countries. The main part of the software is the
same in all EU countries, in compliance with the EU measuring instrument
directive (MID), but there will always be some country and customer-specific
requirements, and these are packaged separately for easier localization, project
manager Hannu Reunanen from HiQ explains.

The EU measuring instrument directive came to force in 2006 and harmonized the
legislation governing taximeters within the EU. The stringent certification
process required by the new directive presented tough challenges for software
development.

- We selected HiQ because the level of requirements was very high, and they have
plenty of experience of demanding system development. HiQ has lived up to
expectations and done an excellent job, Tuomo Roivainen comments.

The Semel project was a good fit for HiQ.
- Demanding, fault-tolerant systems are what we do best, and we also have
experience of designing software platforms to accommodate export requirements,
so this project has allowed us to utilize our expertise extensively, HiQ
Softplan's managing director Pekka Neva says.

The new MID-approved taximeter will be available in early 2009. First deliveries
of the new EMV-approved payment terminals have begun during the autumn of 2008. 

About Semel
Semel is a Nordic ICT company that provides mobile systems and software and acts
as software and systems integrator in demanding mobile system projects. Semel is
the leading Nordic provider of ICT systems for taxis. 20 million payment
transactions are conducted each year through Semel's payment systems in Finland
alone.

Semel has subsidiaries in Sweden and Estonia and offices in Russia and France.
Semel was founded in 1971 and is now part of the international KGK Group. For
more information, please visit www.semel.fi 

Pictures to download: www.semel.fi/press 

For further information please contact:
Pekka Neva, Managing Director, HiQ Softplan Ltd, Tel. +358 9 4355 8634
Tuomo Roivainen, Business Director, Semel Oy, Tel. +358 40 771 3320
Annika Billberg, Head of Corporate Communications, HiQ International, tel.: +46
704 200 103

HiQ is an IT and management consultancy company focusing on high-tech solutions
in the fields of communications, software development and simulation technology.
The company is a leading player in these fields and the Nordic region is its
domestic market. HiQ employs nearly 1,200 people at offices in the Nordic region
and Eastern Europe. HiQ is listed on the Nordic Exchange's MidCap list. For more
information, please visit www.hiq.se