25% of driving test passes in automatics by 2026, say AA Driving School
Published 24 September 2024
Last updated 24 September 2024
Thinking of learning in an automatic? Then you're not alone! Our friends at AA Driving School have put together some interesting stats that show that the number of driving tests taken in automatics is on the rise – and with the growth of electric vehicles, are set to climb even higher.
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AA Driving School predicts more than 25% of practical driving test passes will be in automatic vehicles by 2026, fuelled by the switch to electric vehicles. In the latest data released by DVSA, 17% of all passes are in an automatic compared with 13.4% the previous year, and just five percent a decade earlier. This figure increases around three percentage points per year.
On that basis, AA Driving School estimates that in 2023/24, 20% of all passes will be in an automatic, 2024/25 23%, and 2025/26 it will be 26% - with more rises expected with the ban of sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles on the horizon.
The year-on-year rise is reflected in the number of instructors teaching in automatic vehicles. In January this year, 21% of AA Driving School franchisees were teaching in an automatic compared with 79% in manual. This broadly represents the percentage split between manual and automatic practical tests.
Who’s learning in automatics?
The data also shows more women than men are taking automatic tests - though the gap has lessened since the pandemic. Prior to 2019/20, typically around three-quarters of automatic tests were taken by female pupils. This has reduced every year since, but currently stands at more than 60%.
In the same way, AA Driving School’s data reveals that older learners are more likely to have lessons in an automatic than younger learners. Of the school’s current automatic pupils, 43% are over 30 (10% of overall pupils) compared to just 17% who are 17-20 years old (4 percent of overall pupils).
Where can I learn more?
You can read the full article on The AA website.
For more information about learning to drive, visit the Safe Driving for Life Advice Section, whizz over to our free practice tests area; or visit the Safe Driving for Life shop for the complete range of official DVSA titles including Learning to Drive and Driving – The Essential Skills.
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