Driving Lessons in Bournemouth and Poole
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Automatic Lessons

Not everyone is either suited to or enjoys learning to drive in a manual car as clutch control and gear changing is a requirement of day-to-day driving. To make the practical task of driving a lot easier it’s possible to enjoy driving without a clutch, and this means more time to focus on safe driving. At The DriveAll Driver Training Company, we can help you to get your driving licence with our automatic driving lessons.

Here is a brief guide to learning to drive in an automatic car.

Is driving an automatic the right choice for you? 

• Many people simply find it easier to drive an auto than a manual. 
• Those less able to physically use gears either through disability or due to coordination issues often prefer auto.

What are the differences between a manual and an automatic vehicle?

The words ‘Manual’ and ‘Automatic’ refer to the gears – also known as the transmission. An automatic transmission car changes gear itself, without driver input, whereas a manual transmission car requires the driver to physically select the correct gear to match the engine and road speed.

What is “Drive”, and the other settings?

• D: Drive - This is selected at the beginning of your journey and tells the car you want to use the forward gears. There can be different modes too. On our Mercedes-Benz-A-Class cars you can also select “Eco” and “Sport” modes within “Drive”. This changes the time between gear changes, as well as making some other alterations.
• R: Reverse – This is selected for moving the car backwards.
• N: Neutral - You can put the car in “Neutral” when stopped in traffic or at lights or in say, a car wash where the wheels must remain unlocked whilst being pulled along on a track.
• P: Park - This is the same as “Neutral”, but the wheels are locked. You should be in “Park” when you switch the engine off or on.

In a car with a manual transmission, gears are usually changed by the left foot pushing the clutch pedal down. Automatic cars do not need a clutch pedal. This is a great advantage to Learner drivers, as automatic cars are very hard to stall. Selecting the incorrect gear or ‘crunching’ the gears does not happen either. 

Are manuals still more popular than automatics?

In the UK, manual cars are still more common. According to gbcarleasing as of 2024 out of 300 car models currently available to UK buyers, only 89 are manuals - 18 per cent fewer than the previous year. At its current rate of decline, experts say that by 2029 the manual gearbox could be all but extinct like chokes, cd and cassette players and wind-up windows.

A comprehensive study by online marketplace Car Gurus reviewed the UK's 30 most popular car brands.

It found that new manual models on sale fell from 194 in 2018 to 89 in 2024 - a drop of 54 per cent.

Jeep, Land Rover, Mini and Honda offer only one manual option in their ranges.

Volkswagen offers the most with ten, followed by Ford and Hyundai, each with six. Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Volvo and Lexus offer no manual options at all.

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders shows that over three quarters - 76 per cent - of new car sales were manuals in 2011. By 2023, that figure had fallen to fewer than three in ten vehicles - 28.7 per cent.

When is driving an automatic an advantage?

A lot of people who live in built-up areas prefer automatic vehicles as start-stop traffic in congestion using a manual, with constant gear changes can be frustrating and tiring. As hill starts become much more simple and the risk of rolling back is virtually eliminated in an auto, those living in hilly areas often prefer an auto to a manual.

Will I learn to drive quicker in an automatic?

Without the time spent getting to grips with gears, you may well find that you will learn to drive quicker in an automatic car than in a manual. This could save you money as you will need fewer driving lessons.

Automatic Licence

If you pass your test in an automatic car, you will be restricted to driving only automatic cars. If you wish to drive manual cars later, you will have to sit a manual test later.

Whilst this may seem restricting, the way the market is going, automatic appears to be rapidly increasing in popularity, and people are saying that the advantages of both learning in, and owning and driving an automatic car, outweigh any disadvantage of not being able to drive manual.

Automatic driving instructors near you

Our highly trained and experienced instructors can provide you with automatic driving lessons in Bournemouth and Poole.