The Global Story

BBC World Service

Can London’s black cabs survive driverless cars?

OCT 30, 202626 MIN

Description

Londoners can now travel in autonomous cars for the first time, after Uber was granted a licence to operate a test fleet of self-driving vehicles. Each vehicle must have a safety driver behind the wheel, but the UK government says fully self-driving cars will be available in late 2027. Driverless cars are the latest threat facing London’s iconic black cabs, over a decade after the introduction of ride-sharing apps revolutionised transport in the city. Tristan Redman meets Tom Scullion, who has been a cabbie for over 30 years, and asks whether one of the world’s hardest memory tests – the Knowledge – can compete with AI. Producer: Sam Chantarasak Executive producer: James Shield Mix: Travis Evans Digital producer: Charlie Firth Senior news editor: China Collins Photo: Black cab driver Tom Scullion. Credit: BBC