One in four driving tests in Great Britain is now being taken in an automatic car, new figures reveal, as learner drivers increasingly turn away from manual gearboxes and prepare for an electric future.
Automatic Uptake Surges
Data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) shows that 470,000 of the 1.8 million tests sat in England, Scotland and Wales last year were in automatics. That compares with fewer than 90,000 a decade earlier.
The AA, whose driving school has seen demand soar for lessons in electric and hybrid cars, says the rise is closely linked to the government’s plan to ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. All electric vehicles (EVs) are automatic.
Emma Bush, managing director of AA Driving School, said: “The need to know how to drive a manual car is becoming irrelevant to many. Learners are becoming confident with the idea of their driving future being electric.”
Licence Restrictions
Learners who take their test in an automatic vehicle are issued a Category B Auto licence, meaning they can only drive automatics. To obtain a full licence allowing use of manual cars, drivers must pass their test in a manual. Northern Ireland issues its own licences under a separate system.
Cost and Safety Factors
While EVs typically carry higher upfront costs than petrol or diesel cars, the gap is narrowing, and running costs are often lower.
For learners, automatics also remove some of the stress of driving. Sue Howe, who runs a driving school in Swindon, said: “Automatics are the way forward. There’s just a lot less to do, and learners don’t have to worry about stalling or wrecking a gearbox.”
She added that simpler controls could improve safety: “People are less tired in an automatic. It makes life easier and allows drivers to concentrate more on the road.”
Changing Attitudes
In 2012/13, just 6% of tests were taken in automatics. By 2024/25, that figure had jumped to 26%, with the AA predicting it could hit 29% in 2025/26.
The shift is also changing demographics. A decade ago, only 23% of automatic test candidates were men. Last year, that rose to 39%.
DVSA data shows the pass rate for automatics remains slightly lower than for manuals, but the gap has narrowed steadily since 2012.
Towards an Electric Future
With Labour restoring the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars — a deadline previously pushed back to 2035 by Rishi Sunak — industry experts expect the shift to accelerate further.
For many learners, passing a manual test may soon be unnecessary, as the next generation of drivers prepare for a future where manual cars are increasingly rare on Britain’s roads.
