More UK learner drivers take tests in automatics as electric vehicles rise

A rising number of learner drivers in Britain are taking their practical tests in automatic cars amid growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) show.

DVSA figures for 2023 indicate that roughly one-quarter of driving tests carried out in England, Scotland and Wales were taken in an automatic vehicle. Across Britain, 470,000 of about 1.8 million driving tests last year were conducted in automatics, the data show.

Drivers who pass their practical test in a manual car receive a full Category B licence that permits them to drive both manual and automatic vehicles. Those who pass only in an automatic receive a Category B Auto licence, which restricts them to automatic vehicles. Northern Ireland issues licences separately.

Industry figures and driver trainers say the shift is being driven in part by the structure of EVs: many electric models do not have traditional multi-gear transmissions, reducing the need to learn to use a clutch and gearstick. Emma Bush, managing director of the AA’s driving school, said the need to know how to drive a manual car is becoming "irrelevant to many" as learners and drivers "become confident with the idea of their driving future being electric."

Policy changes are also shaping choices. The UK government reinstated a 2030 deadline for banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars after a change of administration; the earlier decision to extend that deadline to 2035 was reversed. The AA has attributed some of the increase in automatic tests to learners planning to drive EVs after the ban comes into force.

Market data show a broader long-term move toward automatic transmissions. Analysis by Solera cap hpi found automatics accounted for 29.3% of the UK’s passenger car fleet in 2024, a rise of 118% between 2014 and 2024. The number of automatic cars on UK roads increased from about 7.1 million in 2014 to more than 15.5 million in 2024, while manual vehicles rose more modestly from 26.6 million to 37.5 million over the same period.

The shift has practical implications for drivers and trainers. Learners who opt to take tests in automatics may face lower short-term complexity when learning to drive, but will be unable to legally drive manual cars unless they later pass a test in a manual vehicle. Driving instructors and training organisations must balance demand for automatic lessons with the regulatory consequences of a restricted licence.

Observers note cost dynamics are also relevant: while many electric models still command a higher upfront price than equivalent petrol or diesel vehicles, the gap has narrowed and lower fuel and maintenance costs for EVs and hybrids are affecting purchase and learning decisions.

Regulators, industry groups and driving schools continue to monitor registration and test patterns as the vehicle fleet changes. The DVSA statistics and market analyses underline a continuing trend toward automatics that intersects with the broader transition to electric mobility and government policy on new-combustion-vehicle sales.