Overview

• Official DVSA figures show about 470,000 of 1.8 million tests in 2023/24 were conducted in automatic cars.
• Learners who pass in an automatic receive a Category B Auto licence that limits them to driving vehicles with automatic transmissions.
• CarGurus reports the number of new models available with manual gearboxes has fallen to 82 from 192 in 2015.
• Industry data from Solera cap hpi indicate automatics now account for roughly 29.3% of cars on UK roads after a steep rise since 2014.
• The AA forecasts the automatic-share of driving tests will climb to around 29% in 2025/26 as EV-focused policy and consumer demand build.