It appears Taxi TV will go dark, as the de Blasio administration is weighing a plan to remove television screens from the back of yellow cabs. NY1's Michael Herzenberg filed the following report.

Since 2008, Taxi TV has bombarded riders with ads, news and even entertainment.

In one Taxi TV spot, Jimmy Kimmel says, "The person driving the cab is very sick of me." He appears to have that right.

Cab driver: People don't like them.
Herzenberg: What about you? 
Cab driver: I don't like them either. They're loud.

But cabbies and their fares might not have the noisy, intrusive and repetitive video of Taxi TV much longer. After years of complaints, the Taxi and Limousine Commission votes Thursday on a trial program that eventually could lead to the elimination of all those backseat TVs.   

"Make a lot of noise, and it's not really, it's not worth it," said one cab driver. "I don't really know who benefits from this."

Well, there was a benefit when the screens were introduced seven years ago. They were part of a fare system that gave passengers the option to pay for trips with credit or debit cards. The system also captured trip information, was a boon for city planners and made it easier to return items lost in taxis.

However, new technology has made the old system obsolete.

"You can combine a lot of those functions into one sleeker, all-encompassing piece of equipment," said Meera Joshi, chairwoman of the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission. "But I think more importantly, what this pilot does is, it tests out virtual meters GPS."

It's envisioned that the new meters will use GPS to more precisely measure the distance of each trip, making fares more accurate.

"The world moves on, and in order for it to integrate with technology that's moving ahead and is more app-based, the meter needs to keep up to date," Joshi said.

The new system could use smartphones or tablets, one more reason to unplug Taxi TV.

If passed on Thursday, the commission would invite up to four technology companies to develop the new systems, which will be tested in up to 1,000 cabs each. There is no timetable for implementation.