New data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) reveals that one in four driving tests in the UK are now taken in automatic cars, signalling a major shift away from manual gearboxes. Out of 1.8 million tests conducted last year across England, Scotland, and Wales, 470,000 were in automatics, driven by the rise of electric vehicles (EVs) and the upcoming 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales.
The AA's managing director of driving school, Emma Bush, said the need to drive a manual is becoming “irrelevant to many” as learners focus on EVs. She noted that drivers are “becoming confident with the idea of their driving future being electric” and predicted more learners will choose EVs as the 2030 ban approaches.
Driving instructor Sue Howe, who runs Sue's Driving School in Swindon, described automatics as “the way forward”, adding that they make tests easier and improve safety by reducing driver fatigue. “It just makes life so much easier — it's less work for the driver to do so they can concentrate more time on the road,” she said.
DVSA data shows a dramatic increase in automatic tests over the past decade, from 87,844 (6%) in 2012-13 to 479,556 (26%) in 2024-25. The AA forecasts this share will rise to 29% in 2025/26, reflecting the accelerating EV revolution.
