Because if you do, you are putting your life into the hands of someone who could be a much worse driver than you.
Instead of putting your life in the hands of a terrible taxi driver, would you put it in the hands of software that is on average better than a taxi driver? You are in a taxi, so you don't get to choose to drive it yourself.
That said, I also mirror gp in that any self-driving car must be at least better than myself for me to trust it. I imagine that's a sentiment shared by many people.
I am not paying the taxi driver money because they are a safer driver.
I am paying them for the convenience, and the ability to not take a car with me.
Also, taxi driver incentives are wrong. A taxi driver, even though they have lots of experience driving, have an incentive to drive very quickly and therefore dangerously.