Robot taxi drivers just don’t have The Knowledge - Vladimir McTavish

The Scottish government has yet to decide on whether to green light the scheme or not, although there are plans to launch the service in London in the summer, which still needs to receive the approval of the Mayor’s office.

I must say the whole idea sounds like several accidents waiting to happen.

Wave, the company who propose to operate the plan, say they have been carrying out trials without passengers for the best part of ten years. That doesn’t exactly inspire confidence, if they are still not 100 per cent sure after a decade.

How will it work? Initially, a person will be behind the wheel of the car. What’s point in that? They may as well drive. A similar arrangement was in place a few years ago when a driverless bus operated between Fife and Edinburgh. With a driver.

It didn’t last very long, presumably because the poor guy in the bus got sick and tired of endlessly crossing the Forth and back several times a day with nothing to do but look out the window.

With the taxis, what we haven’t been told is when they decide they don’t need this person anymore and just let the cabs loose on the streets.

I have often been frustrated by the driving of taxis with drivers. For example, coming to a sudden stop at the pick up or drop off, doing unexpected U-turns, etc.

Whether a success or not, this is just another attempt to undermine the sterling service offered by a human cabbie.

Apps such as Uber and various private-hire companies will never be able to rival the professionalism of the guys driving the traditional Black Cabs. They don’t need GPS, they don’t need to check Google. They have The Knowledge. No robot is ever going to be able to take their place. They won’t have the banter for a start.

If you’re out late tonight, who would you trust to get you home safe?