Robotaxis pose a threat to London's iconic black cabs

London's black cab drivers, already besieged by rideshare companies, may soon face another threat: AI-powered, autonomous taxis. Yet many drivers feel they can offer something that AI can't – deep knowledge of the city's ancient streets and medieval alleyways. To get a cab license, drivers must pass the Knowledge, a 161-year-old test that requires memorizing 25,000 streets and thousands of landmarks and businesses. The exam process also tests an aspiring cabbie's ability to determine the shortest route between two random points, and articulate it on the fly. Tom Scullion, who's been driving one of London's black cabs for more than 30 years, says this knowledge is what makes Google Maps inferior to a black cab driver. "It's like comparing a hot dog vendor to Gordon Ramsay," Scullion said, referring to the British celebrity chef. This knowledge will soon be tested like never before . Autonomous vehicles, powered by AI, aren't picking up passengers yet, but several tech companies are already trying out their cars in London. What it takes to become a black cab driver in London Trust and confidence in cabbies dates back to 1865 when the Knowledge exam was first introduced to London's horse drawn cabmen. …