Automatic v manual pass rates
Discussion
Driving my auto hybrid my thoughts wandered to how easy it was to drive and how much easier it would be to pass a driving test.
No clutch, gears, hill start and no risk of stalling. Just keep your hands on the steering wheel and look around you.
I knew there was a difference in pass rates but honestly I thought it was in favour of automatic but it’s substantially the other way.
Seemingly the difference is because drivers are taking the auto test earlier in their driving experience and before they are really ready. Surely driving instructors are aware of this? The figures speak for themselves. Unless they are taking the test independently.
"According to the latest gov.uk driving test and theory test data, the 2023/24 UK automatic pass rate was 42.8%, whilst the 2024/25 manual pass rate was 48.5%" - from https://www.billplant.co.uk/blog/benefits-of-learn...
That website gives the source as https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-set... but I couldn't immediately see which spreadsheet the figures come from there.
I have a feeling the gap in pass rates has narrowed in recent years, but it's hard to find figures.
I suspect part of the reason is less confident/competent candidates going for the auto test, but as automatics become more mainstream, this factor is reducing.
It'll be interesting to see what happens in a few years' time, when the supply of new/recent manual cars for instructors dries up.
That website gives the source as https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-set... but I couldn't immediately see which spreadsheet the figures come from there.
I have a feeling the gap in pass rates has narrowed in recent years, but it's hard to find figures.
I suspect part of the reason is less confident/competent candidates going for the auto test, but as automatics become more mainstream, this factor is reducing.
It'll be interesting to see what happens in a few years' time, when the supply of new/recent manual cars for instructors dries up.
Drawweight said:
Driving my auto hybrid my thoughts wandered to how easy it was to drive and how much easier it would be to pass a driving test.
No clutch, gears, hill start and no risk of stalling. Just keep your hands on the steering wheel and look around you.
I have driven a manual for over 30 years with an occasional go in an Auto. I borrowed an auto full hybrid a few months ago, and as you say it is the easiest car I have ever driven and I want one now.No clutch, gears, hill start and no risk of stalling. Just keep your hands on the steering wheel and look around you.
My daughter is having driving lessons in a manual and to be honest is struggling to the point where she is losing interest. I suggested trying automatic lessons, but her mother is not keen on the idea due to the cost of small automatic cars and wants her to persevere.
My youngest is 17 in 3 months, lots of her friends are learning in an automatic and I get the impression she wants to do the same. I actually agree with her as I think the writing is on the wall for the manual gearbox and it will be virtually extinct on new cars in five years. All of the youngsters in my road drive Autos, and when they have friends over their cars are all automatic too.
My parents who are old school don't believe this and think everyone should drive a manual. I will add my dad still believes you cannot take your test in a car with an automatic handbrake or hill assist.
Am I right, should I just get them to learn in an automatic as having a manual in future is going to be pointless. I really cannot see either of them wanting a manual car at any point in their lives.
When I passed my test in the early 90s you only learnt in an automatic if you were a hopeless driver and could not get gears. I feel the number of auto tests is going to increase every year from now on.
My partner is Australian and she has an auto licence, manual cars are pretty much extinct there.
Presumably there's also an element of people who are really rubbish drivers are only going to bother trying for an automatic test.
I did my first driving test with 32 forward and 32 reverse years, my second with 5 forward and 1 reverse, and my third with 5 forward and no reverse
I've just bought my first ever auto, manuals are more fun on the twisties but a hybrid auto is so much better on a congested motorway.
I did my first driving test with 32 forward and 32 reverse years, my second with 5 forward and 1 reverse, and my third with 5 forward and no reverse
I've just bought my first ever auto, manuals are more fun on the twisties but a hybrid auto is so much better on a congested motorway.
This makes interesting reading.and most of the faults seem to be transmission agnostic which might just point to people taking their tests in autos having less wheel time/experience or they are just naturally worse drivers who are doing auto because they struggled with manual.
It will be interesting to see how that changes over the next few years!
Chris
It will be interesting to see how that changes over the next few years!
Chris
My daughter started learning in a manual which then highlighted that she has some dyspraxia and could not cope with the co-ordination required with the foot/ hand control of the clutch and gears.
So I suggested learning in an auto, imo, there's no real disadvantage to it these days, apart from maybe the increased cost of the car. But overall, I thought that the increased cost of more lessons, and the possibility that she'd be put into a situation by her dyspraxia that could result in a collision, that the cost of an auto car would be worth it.
She didn't want to at first, but I took her to a quiet place and let her drive my auto and she immediately changed her mind to give it a go.
So I sold her car and bought an auto, rather she bought an auto.
She was a totally different driver, far more confident and competent. And she passed her test with 1 minor fault. Well worth it for her as I think she would have eventually given up or needed far more time and goes to pass.
So I suggested learning in an auto, imo, there's no real disadvantage to it these days, apart from maybe the increased cost of the car. But overall, I thought that the increased cost of more lessons, and the possibility that she'd be put into a situation by her dyspraxia that could result in a collision, that the cost of an auto car would be worth it.
She didn't want to at first, but I took her to a quiet place and let her drive my auto and she immediately changed her mind to give it a go.
So I sold her car and bought an auto, rather she bought an auto.
She was a totally different driver, far more confident and competent. And she passed her test with 1 minor fault. Well worth it for her as I think she would have eventually given up or needed far more time and goes to pass.
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