Automatic

[les]

Does anyone know what percentage of driving schools use automatic transmission cars to teach their clients these days ? I’m suspecting it’s quite high.

[Bill_qaz]

If you pass in an automatic (class B licence) you can only drive auto, do many people do that?

[les]

Yes, that’s why I posted, could it be that the manual car will be a thing of the past. ——— and no new drivers to keep the classic car movement going. Mind you, there are many other things that will end that, I suppose.

[geoberni]

It's the way the world's going, because all Electric and Hybrid cars have to be 'non gear stick' by nature of their design, you're essentially just making an electric motor go faster. Electric Driving School cars are increasingly common.
I suspect the world will end up like the USA where you simply have a driving licence and whether you know how to use a gearstick is your choice, it's not identified on the license.
My old Nevada License from when I was out there simply says Class C on the front, which is defined on the back of it as :

"C = Cars/Vans/Pickups; may tow a veh < 10,000lbs"

I gained that after a sub 10 minute drive around the Block making sure I slowed for the school zone and scored 99/100, he docked me 1 point for not using the indicator when I parked up at the end. He just said 'park over there', indicating the vacant kerb area in the DMV Parking Lot, big enough to park a School Bus.....

It's not just the USA, I just did a check on a French & German License categories, the French don't seem to have a obvious Manual/Auto split that I can find.
Although I found some info about German Driving Schools that said...

Driving fun without limitations
Training in the automatic car

You spend most of your driving training time in an automatic vehicle. You can fully concentrate on the traffic and practice anticipatory driving.

Supplementary gear shift training

You learn how to shift gears in addition to your training, in at least 10 driving hours on a manual car.

Successful test drive

To confirm that you can drive a manual car, you take a test drive. Simply with your driving instructor and without an official examiner. The test drive lasts at least 15 minutes and must take place in and out of town.

Proof for the authorities

If you have passed the test drive with your driving instructor, your driving school will issue you a certificate confirming that you are able to drive a manual car. You simply present this certificate when you take the test.

Practical test in the automatic vehicle

You do your test preparation and the test on the automatic vehicle. This saves you the stress and embarrassing "stalling" and you can concentrate fully on the traffic. If you present the certificate from your driving school that you have also completed a shift training course, the key number B197 will be entered in your driving license.

perhaps one of our German residents can confirm that??

In the UK, there is no actual Category of B AUTO, despite how most of the information reads and implies, including the DVLA/GOV website.
It's still a B Licence, but it has Restriction Code 78 on it.
We have a lot more codes in use than other countries seem to.