The number of UK learner drivers choosing automatic cars has rocketed by 123% in a year – as drivers look to dodge pricey congestion charges and future green taxes by embracing EVs.
More than a quarter (29%) of learners are shunning manual cars and opting to learn in automatic vehicles now compared to just 13% of people who took a practical test in one in 2021.
But London drivers were already ahead of the trend with 26% taking a practical test in an automatic car last year. In Manchester, that figure is 11%.
Industry experts say the data suggests the upsurge in those choosing automatics could be because many EVs are automatic and motorists are pre-emptively avoiding charges by going green.
They suggested Londoners cruising the capital in automatic cars could be due in part to drivers not wanting to be hit with the daily £15 Congestion Charges that non-EV drivers face.
The survey, by learner driver insurance experts at Dayinsure, reveals that many opting for auto-only licences believe it’s ‘easier’ to pass as they ‘don’t have to worry about changing gears and clutch control’.
This coupled with new petrol and diesel cars being banned from 2030 and new hybrids only getting a stay of execution until 2035, many believe there’s little point in learning how to manually drive.
But pass rate figures from the past 15 years show passing an automatic test isn’t easier.
The average pass rate in a manual car is 47% compared to just 39% in an automatic, even though the test itself is the same.
The study reveals the increasing appeal of automatic cars with the number of new drivers taking their test in one between 2019 and 2022 rising by 25% .
And it’s not just those behind the wheel of a car who are embracing automatic driving, as online searches for information relating to ‘automatic driving lessons’ have risen by 24% in the last 12 months.
Some test centres have got very high auto pass rates, such as Pwllheli in Wales which has the highest (80%) in the UK, while Bury in Manchester (24%) has the lowest.
When grouping test centre pass rates by city, Dundee came out as the best placed for automatic learners with more than half (56%) getting their licence. Leeds was the lowest with seven in ten (70%) failing their test.
Nicholas Shaw, Director of Operations at Dayinsure, said: “It’s clear that as the UK shifts towards EVs, many of which are automatic, we’ll continue to see a rise in learners opting for automatic-only licences too.
“The added benefit of EVs is that London drivers will be able to make hefty savings of up to £15 a day as EVs are exempt from the London Congestion Charge.
“As other local authorities look to introduce clean air zone charges for vehicles that exceed emission standards, driving an automatic EV make sense.
“This could well explain why we’re seeing a surge in automatic drivers and in the capital in particular.
“What’s important now is that there are enough instructors to meet growing demand.
“Many EVs are more expensive so insurance costs in general can typically be a little more, and that’s something that new drivers should be aware of.
“But at Dayinsure we don’t charge automatic learners more for their cover, so that’s one less thing to think about.”
Head of Digital at Driving Test Success Emma Bagnall said: “With the rise of automatic vehicles in the UK reaching a new high, it’s no wonder that more students are switching to learning to drive in an automatic vehicle.
It’s becoming increasingly common to hear from students who don’t see the point in learning in a manual vehicle, when they’ll soon be forced down the EV route in a few years.
“People assume that learning to drive and taking your test in an automatic car would be easier than in a manual.
“At the end of the day, you needn’t worry about clutch control and changing gears, which we know is a big issue for some learners.
“However some students do find that having the control of changing gears helps with their concentration levels and allows them to focus their attention on the road.
“It’s important to note that whether learning to drive in an automatic or a manual vehicle, one of the things that we see on a daily basis here at Driving Test Success, is students taking their test before they’re fully prepared.
“We know how desperate students are to get their freedom, especially after waiting months for a test date, but unless students are fully prepared then they are much more likely to be leaving the test centre without their full driving licence.”
Some test centres have got very high auto pass rates, such as Pwllheli in Wales which has the highest (80%) in the UK, while Bury in Manchester (24%) has the lowest.
When grouping test centre pass rates by city, Dundee came out as the best placed for automatic learners with more than half (56%) getting their licence. Leeds was the lowest with seven in ten (70%) failing their test.
PERCENTAGE OF DRIVING TESTS TAKEN IN AUTOMATICS
London 26%
Birmingham 15%
Coventry 15%
Aberdeen 14%
Leicester 13%
Oxford 13%
Sheffield 13%
Leeds 12%
Southampton 12%
Bradford 11%
Manchester 11%
Peterborough 11%
Cambridge 10%
Derby 10%
Glasgow 10%
Nottingham 10%
Stoke-on-Trent 10%
Edinburgh 10%
Norwich 10%
Bristol 9%
Cardiff 9%
Swansea 9%
Preston 8%
Liverpool 8%
Sunderland 7%
Dundee 6%
Hull 6%
Plymouth 6%
York 5%
Carlisle 4%
National 13%
Further information can be found at: https://www.dayinsure.com/news/are-you-learning-to-drive-in-an-automatic-youre-not-the-only-one/
Main picture by Art Markiv on Unsplash
