THE KNOWLEDGE VS GOOGLE MAPS

Cara Hene (WHS)

The Knowledge of London, more commonly known as simply ‘The Knowledge’, is the test that all aspiring black cab drivers must pass in order to become one. Largely unchanged since it was introduced during the Victorian era, The Knowledge is one of London’s unusual, though charming quirks. Covering 60,000 roads, 100,000 places of note and requiring an average of 2-4 years studying, passing the test is no mean feat – there are even special ‘Knowledge’ schools dotted around London offering help if required! Though with online maps such as Google Maps one click away, should The Knowledge be left to stay in the past?

The Map used for The Knowledge of London exam1 A lot has changed since 1865 when The Knowledge was first introduced, especially technology. It made sense then, when there were no phones nor computers to help guide drivers, for the existence of a test that ensured customers would arrive at their destination with a competent driver behind the wheel (or reigns – taxi drivers used horse drawn carriages when The Knowledge was introduced). Now, why take four years studying for a test when opening Google Maps takes 4 seconds? Uber, an online taxi service, has exploded with success and is one of London’s taxi’s most vicious competitors, with more than quadruple the number of vehicles on the streets of London than black cabs - 114,000 Ubers vs 24,000 TFL taxis:

These figures seem to suggest that Uber’s dramatic rise in popularity is proof enough that The Knowledge is becoming more and more irrelevant with every year that passes. The Knowledge too, represents a more ‘British’ and historical view of London, which is part of its allure. It is traditional and historical in the sense that it hasn’t changed for over 155 years, something those who have completed the test are keenly aware of. I would argue that this in itself is not condemnable, and though it does back up the argument for The Knowledge’s irrelevancy today, it’s quite an achievement that it has manage to remain largely untouched for so long. Economically speaking, the exam is a barrier to entry to people seeking to become taxi drivers, meaning fewer people will apply for the job. This is arguably purposeful, Transport for London, who run London’s black cab service, know that The Knowledge hugely limits the number of willing black cab drivers, they also know that this keeps their income relatively high as there is little supply but large demand, meaning people are willing to pay more for a service they perceive as rare. The Knowledge and Google Maps both represent contrasting pricing strategies – a small amount sold at a high price vs a high amount sold at a low price, of which both have their individual merits. The most used and obvious argument for The Knowledge is that it ensures journeys are quicker and that this extra layer of regulation increases safety for customers. When you analyse the data, the first claim seems to hold true: according to a study done by Lancaster University, black cabs on average took only 88% of the time an Uber would take for the same journey3. This does categorically prove that The Knowledge, though old-fashioned, still retains an advantage over Google Maps. However, the idea that more regulation = more safety, is disputable. If we focus on sexual assault levels as a marker of safety in hire vehicles, as sexual assault is arguably the highest safety concern regarding Ubers/black cabs, then we see black cabs aren’t as safe as they claim to be. In February 2016 TFL launched an advertising campaign targeting safety concerns surrounding their taxis, claiming that Ubers are less safe than black cabs, citing that 32 Uber drivers were convicted of sexual assault/rape, in comparison to zero black cab drivers.

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However, this hides the full picture. Only 6.8% of sexual assault allegations ever lead to a conviction6 and in addition, black cab drivers are less likely to be convicted, not because the incident is less likely to occur, but due to the fact that an Uber driver is much easier to track down as their name is stored on your phone. In fact, there were 154 rape/sexual assault allegations occurring in black cabs from February 20152016, whereas only 32 were alleged in an Uber5 - whilst Uber has a 71% share of the market6, only 21% of alleged sexual assault were committed by Uber drivers. Therefore, the argument that black cabs have more regulation, so are therefore safer, seems to crumble under any close inspection.

The arguments do seem to be piling up against The Knowledge’s relevance in today’s society when faced with the technological advances of maps. However, I think the idea that one cannot or should not exist with the other is flawed. The Knowledge is somewhat a relic of the past but has its advantages too - it is part of London’s history and does make the iconic black cab faster than their Google Maps-using counterparts. Conversely, the technological evolution of maps, from physical to online versions, clearly make them much more accessible to drivers, removing this barrier to entry! On the whole, although The Knowledge’s existence is threatened by younger inventions, such as Google Maps and Uber, the expertise and wisdom it gives its drivers is invaluable - without it, London wouldn’t be what it is today. Bibliography

1. Collins Knowledge A-Z map, collins.co.uk 2. The Telegraph 3. Lancaster University UK 4. www.channel4.co.uk 5. www.taxileaks.blogspot.co.uk 6. www.secondmeasure.com 7. www.rainn.org 8. www.tfl.co.uk