2023 was a record year for driving tests carried out in automatic vehicles, with 324,000 tests conducted. That represents a whopping 33% increase compared to 2022, according to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

In fact, research by WhatCar? Magazine reveals that there’s been a massive 283% increase in the popularity of automatic-only tests compared to ten years ago.

Fail increase

However, the pass rate for automatic driving tests is lower than for those carried out in a manual car – 43% in an auto versus 48% in a manual. Reasons for the lower pass rates are attributed to learners believing that being taught to drive in an auto or electric vehicle (see below) is potentially quicker. This is because the cars are simpler to operate, and there’s no need to learn clutch control or how to perform a hill start.

This trend is leading to learners signing up for fewer lessons, reducing the overall cost of learning to drive. However, critics argue that this means learners are being deprived of vital driving experience as well as having less safety awareness.

Pay later

There’s more bad news for auto-only fans. According to Compare the Market, you can also expect bigger insurance bills once you’ve qualified. For instance, newly qualified drivers paid £490 more a year for their cover than manual drivers in 2023. This figure has now climbed to £760 in 2024.

The reasons for the price difference are that automatic gearboxes are pricier to repair, and insurers say that an auto gearbox generates more claims.

Going EV

Despite such price hikes, learners aren’t yet being deterred. The reason? The trend is, in part, being fuelled by the growing demand for electric vehicles from young drivers.

According to a Gridserve survey, 48% of learners would prefer to learn to drive in an EV, which has a single-speed transmission, so there’s no gearbox.

The survey also revealed that 29% of learners don’t see the point of learning to drive a manual vehicle as they expect to be driving an EV for most of their lives – plus 24% of learners say their first car will be an EV.

All demand

However, across the country, learners are struggling to actually find an instructor who offers lessons in an EV, with only one in seven learners being able to successfully source one.

If you live in London, you stand a better chance, with two in five learners able to find an EV-driving instructor. However, if you’re based in the East of England or Yorkshire, only one in 10 are having any luck on their hunt for a suitable instructor.

With 40% of 18-to-24 year olds more likely to pick a tutor who offers lessons in an EV, perhaps it’s only a matter of time before instructors make the jump to electric-powered vehicles.

Auto transition

As EVs continue to be adopted across the UK, expect demand for non-manual cars to increase, especially as we get closer to 2035 when the sales of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned – effectively, killing off the manual gearbox for good.

And as only 24% of cars sold today are fitted with a manual gearbox, you should expect more and more learners to continue turning their backs on manuals.

“The popularity of automatic gearboxes is partly down to manufacturers and engineering trends, as well as the increase in demand for electric cars, which don’t need traditional gearboxes. And many younger drivers clearly don’t see the need to learn to drive a manual given that they are slowly being phased out.”

  • Claire Evans, Consumer Editor, WhatCar?

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