Mayor says London black cabs offer ‘unique service’ that autonomous vehicles may struggle to replicate
- Perry Richardson
- Jul 27
- 2 min read
The Mayor of London has said black cab drivers provide a level of customer care and local expertise that autonomous passenger vehicles may struggle to replicate, as testing of self-driving technology continues to expand on the capital’s roads.
Responding to a written question from City Hall Conservative Assembly Member Thomas Turrell during Mayor’s Question Time, the Mayor recognised that automation could have implications for London’s taxi and private hire industries. However, he said the scale and timing of those impacts remain uncertain and pointed to Transport for London’s Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan 2025, which aims to halt the long-term decline in licensed taxi drivers and improve the sector’s sustainability.
The response comes as testing for autonomous passenger vehicles in London has increased significantly during 2026, with several companies already operating autonomous vehicles on public roads under supervised conditions as they prepare for commercial passenger services.
Wayve, the British autonomous driving technology company, has been testing vehicles across London with a trained safety driver behind the wheel ready to take control if required. Alphabet-owned Waymo has also been testing Jaguar I-Pace vehicles on London’s streets, again with a human safety driver onboard. The Department for Transport opened applications in May for operators wishing to run taxi and bus-style self-driving services, with the first public passenger pilots expected later this year if they satisfy regulatory requirements.
Uber has already begun preparing for that next phase through its partnership with Wayve. Earlier this summer, the ride-hailing giant invited London customers to join an interest list via its app for future autonomous journeys. The initial rollout is expected to cover selected London boroughs and will begin on a relatively small scale before any wider expansion.
Despite those developments, fully driverless taxi services are not yet operating commercially on London’s roads. Current trials continue to rely on safety drivers while companies gather operational data and work through the UK’s regulatory approval process. Wider deployment will depend on approvals under the Automated Vehicles Act and any licensing requirements imposed by TfL for services operating in the capital.
In his response, the Mayor highlighted what he believes differentiates London’s licensed taxi trade from autonomous technology.
The Mayor said: “Taxi drivers provide a unique service, offering local expertise, assisting passengers with luggage, support older or disabled customers, respond to individual needs, delivering a level of care and customer service that could be difficult to replicate in an automated vehicle.”
The Mayor also confirmed that TfL will continue working with the taxi trade, private hire industry, trade unions, Government and technology developers to understand both the opportunities and risks associated with automation.
The comments follow months of increasing debate at City Hall over the future of autonomous passenger vehicles. London Assembly committees have been examining the impact driverless technology could have on employment, congestion, accessibility and passenger safety, while representatives from the licensed taxi trade have argued that the Knowledge, wheelchair accessibility and personal service offered by black cab drivers remain key differentiators that cannot easily be replaced by artificial intelligence.
