The transition from manual to automatic cars for driving lessons is becoming increasingly significant in the UK. Data suggests that within the next decade, over half of driving instructors from major schools like AA and BSM may teach exclusively in automatic vehicles. In January 2022, 86% of instructors taught in manual cars, but projections indicate that this number could fall to 75.3% by early 2025, potentially making manual instruction a minority practice.
Mark Born, head of the AA and BSM driving instructor academy, noted a faster adaptation among new instructors, with 36% already opting to teach in automatic cars. Some industry experts anticipate this trend will accelerate, predicting that manual lessons could become more expensive due to increased demand and decreased instructor availability.
Despite this shift, the current demand for automatic lessons remains slower than expected. Many new drivers continue to rely on hand-me-down manual cars, which complicates their transition to automatic driving. Adam Bragg, co-founder of a driving instructor training company, highlighted that families are often holding onto their manual vehicles longer as electric car adoption continues.
The AA Driving School forecasts that by 2025-26, over 25% of driving test passes will occur in automatic vehicles, partially influenced by the growing prevalence of electric cars. In response, there is discussion about potentially introducing a fast-track licensing route for those who pass their tests in automatic vehicles, allowing them to drive manual cars with some additional training.
Learners in automatic vehicles generally require fewer lessons to reach test readiness—approximately 25 to 35 hours compared to around 45 hours for manual learners. However, pass rates for automatic tests remain lower, at approximately 43% versus 48% for manual tests. This shift could add further pressure to an already stretched driving test system, which is experiencing significant waiting times for appointments.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/sep/21/uk-driving-instructors-automatic-cars-manual-gearshifts