The Global Story - Can London’s black cabs survive driverless cars?
Download Can London’s black cabs survive driverless cars?
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
Published on Friday, 30th October 2026.
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