It can take four years of training to memorize London's 25,000 streets

A Threat to the Knowledge?
With 20,000 licensed black cab drivers in London and an average of 31,000 people looking for a ride on any given evening, some are looking for shortcuts. Some minicab companies, who don't require their drivers to learn The Knowledge, are introducing a satellite-based navigation system. A driver punches in his or her location and destination, and the computer spits out the most direct route. But some current Knowledge Boys don't think technology will ever be able to replace a knowledgeable cabbie.

"It will be some time before a computer can discuss a destination in detail, like a stage door or a [certain] house," says one current student.

"There's nothing better than The Knowledge," says George Harper. "Nothing will ever replace it. What if the computer breaks down? And the computer won't take traffic into account. Only a cab driver knows alternate routes and they'll never build a computer able to do that."

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