Like Malaysia, most UK drivers today favour the automatic transmission

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According to the UK’s DVSA (Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency), the number of people taking their practical driving exam in a two-pedal car has increased significantly in recent times.

The agency reportedly believes the key factor to this rapid rise in popularity of automatic transmissions, namely dual-clutch types, lies in how it successfully appealed and converted the bulk of drivers in the UK. It is a known fact that there are fewer drivers nowadays who aren’t bothered to master the stick, let alone the art of heel-and-toe footwork. Another contributing factor, according to the agency, stems from the lesser number of vehicles with manual option on sale, plus the UK’s increasing traffic congestion.

The situation does pose an argument: Whilst automatic-only driver’s license holders might never require the knowledge of mastering a manual transmission, should they be allowed the option to drive a manual or not?

Though there are still a number low and medium-priced cars being offered in the UK market with the option for a manual transmission, the rise of neighbouring European countries in banning new ICE vehicles sales by 2030 does pose several concerns.

Tesla Model 3

What’s certain in the foreseeable future is that electric vehicles (EVs), which generally employ single-speed transmissions regulating their motors, will accelerate the demise of the manual transmission. However, this remains to be seen still, and only time will tell.

A similar trend is also very evident here in Malaysia, explaining the recent introduction of the automatic-only DA license class.  By law, drivers holding a Class D license are allowed to drive either a manual or automatic, but drivers holding an automatic-only Class DA license are not allowed to drive cars with manual transmissions.

In terms of market availability, local Malaysian manufacturers Proton and Perodua each still offer a variety of compact entry-level models with manual transmission options. However, these arguably appeal towards specific consumer groups with cost-specific reasonings behind their decision to adopt these manual transmission cars.

Special Edition Ford Ranger XLT Plus

Apart from this, manual transmission-equipped offerings are available in Malaysia through select performance-oriented models (i.e. Honda Civic Type-R, Toyota GR Yaris, etc.), as well as select 4x4 SUVs and pick-up trucks (i.e. Toyota Hilux and Fortuner, Ford Ranger, etc.). The former, though significantly more expensive in general, appeals to enthusiasts with the means, whereas the latter’s appeal towards its targeted consumers are driven mostly by their low running costs.