Satellite tech turns London into Monopoly board

London is to be transformed into a giant Monopoly board for a version of the game which will use taxis with global positioning system (GPS) technology as playing pieces.

Unlike the traditional version of the 70-year old board game, the online version - to promote a new edition of the game - will last 24 hours. And instead of the top hat, boot and racing car, the game pieces will be 18 taxis moving through London traffic, with their movements tracked by GPS.

GPS technology has hit the headlines in the last week because the government's satellite-based road charging plans are likely to use the technology.

The FT reports that the game will start later this month.

Matt Law of ad agency Tribal DDB, which developed the online game, told the paper: "What we have done is to use the latest technology to turn the whole of London into a Monopoly board."