Why the automatic driving test has a lower pass rate in the UK

36 Comments

1. Passed in a Manual few weeks ago, and chose to drive an Automatic….

2. I think in 2035 more driving tests would be automatic assuming gas car sales are banned after 2030. Just because driving instructors also can't buy them anymore and having lessons in an old car is uncommon. (which means less driving instructors with a manual car which means longer wait lists, so they learn automatic instead)

3. I frustrated to made driving license in my coutry so now I need to do again in Uk and I think gonna be better to mr try automatic 😢

4. There will be no driving tests in 2040's my friend.

5. Interesting video – this year I passed both theory and test first time (test in a blizzard!) with automatic. I first started learning in manual over 10 years ago. First instructor awful, second lovely but didn’t go over the basics thoroughly enough as I’d had lessons before and I think there was a presumption that I remembered a certain amount (I did not!) and the last instructor had me for one manual lesson. At the end of the lesson, he turned to me and said he could tell how stressed I was; that my other skills like observation were great, but that the stress I felt over gears and clutch was clear. He said there was no point in learning manual long term, and I admitted I only did it because everyone told me to get a manual license and automatic car. Switched to automatic and MY GOD. So much better. I don’t drive to enjoy it (although I enjoy it much more in automatic) – I drive to get to my destination safely and increase personal freedom.

   For anyone struggling in manual but reluctant to take automatic lessons due to judgement or pressure from friends or family (as it’s often not seen as ’proper’ driving) – do what’s best for you. Just have one lesson in automatic, and if it’s for you, it could mean you finally start to enjoy driving.

6. I'm curious what the insurance data says – accidents from those with automatic only licence vs automatic car with manual license driver.

   This is one of my last remaining arguments in favour of learning manual. The other is greater choice, especially hire vehicles.

7. It has been two years since i learnt manual and i learnt for a year and a half. I pretty much know how to drive but my previous instructor lowered my confident and give me bad anxiety . Because of him in my mind its like i will never ever pass. My family is also not encouraging me . Should i do automatic ? I wish someone gives me the push

8. Forgot to say that electric motorcycles are probably going to be great because gears ARE a major issue to manage on them – the whole throttle/clutch/gear interaction on a bike is quite hard to master ontop of balance and having 2 brakes. Also when I do go back to a manual car I realise how much extra effort it is causing. I make the effort without being forced to think a lot but I notice it's still affecting me. I have more "bandwidth" without it.

9. Young people want cheap cars so they're likely to go for a test in a manual and convert to an automatic car later in life. This would make the test situation seem quite static even as the number of automatic cars increased.

   Electric vehicles are all (almost) automatic and we're moving over to them completely. I think this and things like emission zones are going to make it less of a fashion issue and might make the change non-linear: with sudden bursts of new automatic test takers.

10. 2043

11. When we reach the point where the majority of second hand cars are automatic the manual licence will be fazed out

12. If you pass your test in a manual are you then okay to drive an automatic without a test?🚗

13. I don’t drive a manual because I genuinely struggle with the gears n stuff but atm I’m doing a automatic and got my test on July 20th and I think I’m failing

14. The reason more people are going for auto is because you are not really get any benefit for all the gear and clutch control. Not everyone is a die hard classic car fan, most of them just want a car and carry on with their life, so why don't make it easier?

15. For me automatic is just more comfortable. I'm a relative new driver, and i use so much energy on the road and other drivers that having to manage the clutch and gears just becomes to much.

16. I drove a manual for 5 years in UK then for the first 10 of 35 years in California. Having driven automatic i would never go back to manual because automatic is far more relaxing. However I am now about to take my 4th test for UK license and becoming more anxious with each fail.

17. Thank you so much for your tutorials and advice. I am 47 years old and never learned to drive until 12 months ago. Today I took my first ever test and passed!! Your videos helped me enormously to wade through the myths and be calm enough to just drive. 😁

18. Auto tests will never become the norm unless legislation changes. People want to have the option to drive any car, even if they won't necessarily do it.

19. For me personally I couldn't do manual – it wasn't the driving instructor's fault, it was the fact that for me personally I found it was too much to do.

    I now have an automatic driving instructor and she said it was the manual cars which stumped me, as I was doing most things right.

20. I had to do automatic because my dream car is automatic that I bought Range Rover 🙌🏽

21. I reckon early 2030ts maybe 2032 or 2033

22. Surely if the proposed ban on sale of new petrol and diesel cars happens as planned in 2030, it's going to be earlier than 2037 – apart from anything else, instructors will struggle to get hold of newish manual vehicles. But one suspects the ban will be postponed, probably more than once, when it becomes clear to everyone how impractical it is.

23. If you passed your driving test in the UK using automatic transmission, are you allowed to drive manual later on or will it be indicated on your driving license?

24. I have failed 3 times in a automatic car. Thinking it was easier. The pass rate I’m my area is 22%

25. I've been driving manual for 5 years, but my next car is defo going to be an automatic. I did a test drive with the VW Polo with the DSG box. Very smooth drive and the convenience of it just had me sold. Should have done this sooner.

26. I have been taking lesson in manual for 6 months but same happened with me i failed now i want go for automatic i am driving my friend's car which is automatic.but i did not take any lesson from any instructor on automatic car can i go for test now or is it Mandatory that i have to take lesson under an instructor

27. I think a driver can more easily concentrate on the traffic around in an auto than in a manual. In heavy traffic I find it more exhausting to drive as a taxi driver always adjusting to the speed of the car in front of you.

28. I don't think it matters these days, but don't tell that to men over 45.

29. Manual car, if not good at clutch control, easily stall which put off learners, especially stall on busy roads or junctions/roundabouts which is very scary..😅 very stressful!

30. UK is weird. They just love old stuff. Who still drives manual cars?

31. Automatic is the future. Plus driving manual is very stressful. Driving should be easy and stress free.

32. Thank you! I have been trying to learn for years in a manual and today had an automatic lesson. My mum has an automatic and it’s just so much simpler and I had no motivation to learn clutch control and gears so always saw it as such a barrier. I always wanted to get out on the road but SO many people discouraged me from getting an auto license. Almost 100% of the people I mentioned it to tried to persuade me against it. Thank you for supporting automatic drivers! People should learn how they want to learn and the way I see it, I can always update my license if Im desperate to drive a manual

33. it’s a cop out

34. because anyone who fears learning in a manual isn’t going to be as good a driver as someone who learns to drive a more complicated vehicle.

35. Can a person who has learned Automatic ,can they later learn manual or it is impossible ?

36. Mid 2030 and 2040 to cross 50% for automatics.? Really.? Why would people want to learn manual, when there will be no more new manual cars in few years. With the electric adoption, i think manual will be history soon.

Comments are closed.