Driverless cars pose ‘no chance’ of threat to black cab trade despite Uber’s autonomous readiness, says LTDA
- Perry Richardson
- Jun 8
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 9
Autonomous vehicles may one day be on UK roads, but London’s black cab trade is not worried. According to the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA), there is “no chance” that driverless technology will encroach on the work of licensed cabbies.
In TAXI Newspaper, an LTDA spokesperson suggested timelines for the rollout of self-driving cars. The introduction has now been pushed back to 2027—an 18-month delay on earlier plans made by the Conservative government.
While ride-hailing firms like Uber are positioning themselves to adopt autonomous vehicles as soon as regulations allow, the LTDA dismissed the idea that black cabs will be affected. “Despite Uber being happy to jump aboard such technologies, it doesn’t sit well with the taxi industry as a whole,” the spokesperson said. “There’s no chance of these driverless cabs encroaching on London’s black cab industry.”
The comments come after the passing of the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act, which provides the legal framework for the use of self-driving vehicles. The Government claims the legislation could unlock a £42 billion industry and reduce road collisions by removing human error, which accounts for 88% of current incidents.
Uber says it is ready to deploy robotaxis once the regulatory process is complete. Its senior vice president of mobility, Andrew Macdonald, confirmed the company’s position in a recent interview with the BBC. British tech firms such as Wayve and Oxa are already trialling the technology in cities including London and Oxford.
Despite this, the LTDA says the core appeal of black cabs remains unchanged. Passengers trust licensed drivers, value the personal interaction and rely on their detailed knowledge of London. According to the LTDA, these are not things automation can replicate.
For now, while parts of the transport industry push forward with automation, London’s taxi trade continues to operate with human experience at its core.
A Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) spokesperson wrote in TAXI Newspaper: “The UK Government has further pushed its intent to introduce driverless cars to the second half of 2027, delaying it some 18 months after the Tories suggested it would happen by 2026.
“With aspirations of futuristic cars being able to fly – at least if we are to believe anything we see in movies – the most realistic is self automation for now, but it’s been met with mixed reaction. Uber, unsurprisingly, has declared they are ready for self-driving vehicles now, saying they are “ready to go”.
“Despite Uber being happy to jump aboard such technologies, it doesn’t sit well with the taxi industry as a whole. The elephant in the room being job losses left, right, and centre for existing Uber drivers; there’s no chance of these driverless cabs encroaching on London’s black cab industry.”
The piece goes on to add: “The consensus amongst people seems to be that passengers not only enjoy the chance to interact with human drivers, but feel much safer that it’s not automated… and with a much lower risk of driver malfunction.”
