Hailo Backup helps ensure you can book a taxi in London when you need it most

Hailo has added a new feature for its users in London that provides an alternate backup car in case you find your chosen mode of transportation unavailable.

For example, if you’re looking to hop into one of the capital’s iconic black cabs but Hailo doesn’t have any available, the Backup feature means that a HailoExec car will be booked at no additional cost. Exec-level vehicles, as the name implies, are generally high-end saloon cars – only Mercedes E-class, BMW 5-7 series, Jaguars and Audi A series are allowed.

It works the other way around too, if you book a HailoExec and none are available, then a black-cab will arrive instead. The feature is completely opt-in, so you’re not being forced to use the Backup option if you don’t want to. If you do want to, you can find the setting in the Options menu as you’re booking your car.

The company said in a blog post that it is also working to add the option to pre-book cabs, like its rival GetTaxi already offers; the feature is currently in testing but the company didn’t give an exact launch date, though it likely won’t be too far away.

➤ Hailo Backup FAQs