Calls for automatic drivers to drive manual without second test
Rather than another full practical driving test, King said the assessment would focus on “clutch control, the hill start, smoothness and understanding the gears”.
He believes it could also be carried out by an approved driving instructor (ADI) rather than a DVSA examiner.
“It would not be trying to replicate the full driving test,” he said.
IAM RoadSmart’s head of policy, Nicholas Lyes, agrees that any conversion route should be assessed by an ADI. He also suggests using a scoring system rather than a simple pass or fail.
“There wouldn’t need to be a theory test, nor would the assessment necessarily be a pass or fail,” he said. “If they’re getting ones and twos, that would suggest they’re okay to drive a manual. If they’re getting threes and fours, that would indicate they need further practice.”
Whether a German-style system would work in the UK is unclear.
While Sutcliffe believes the current system “is archaic and needs an overhaul”, he thinks that “the AA is trying to define a framework on something that needs a lot more design, thought and industry engagement”.
Sutcliffe believes policymakers should first decide the overall objectives of a conversion course before deciding how it should be delivered. He said it could use a “blended learning approach”, combining technology with “practical skills development”.
“It’s not about saying we need five hours of training at this point,” he said. “We need to understand what we’re actually training. Is it the way the vehicle is operated by the driver, or do we simply need to understand the differences in the way the vehicle behaves and what those impacts are on the driver and safe use of the vehicle?”
Sutcliffe believes this is already becoming more relevant as drivers move between petrol cars, hybrids and electric vehicles, each of which can behave differently.
“Each automatic car is very different, “he explains. “An EV behaves differently from a petrol automatic. For example, if the car has regenerative braking, how is that different to driving a manual car and how does it affect the student driver and then onwards as a newly qualified driver when the real-world driving experience is gained?”
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