London's black cabs might be the most famous taxi fleet in the world, but their iconic status has been no defense against the march of technology. Now that the unique selling point of London cabbies — their proficiency at navigating the capital's byzantine street system — is replicable by any mobile phone that can run Google maps, their days are clearly numbered. While there are sentimental reasons to lament the demise of black cabs, Londoners should treat it as a sign of progress.
In an extension of the trend in major cities all around the world, the arrival of Uber has disrupted London's status quo. License applications to drive an official London Hackney carriage are down 20 percent this year, while the number of applicants to sit "The Knowledge" exam, a prerequisite for getting a badge, have dropped by more than two-thirds, according to Bloomberg reporters Kristen Schweizer and Amy Thomson.
And while there's been the usual accompanying kerfuffle of protests against Uber, London seems less inclined than other cities to defend the limitations on competition that officially licensed cabs have historically enjoyed. The number of minicabs in the capital — private-hire cars that have to be pre-booked and can't be flagged down on the street — has surged 18 percent since the start of last year, but London Mayor Boris Johnson has treated that more as a potential traffic problem than a threat to black cabs' business model.
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