'One-hour' driving test rule change in UK 'would make sense' says The AA

NewsUK NewsMotorsThe AA has made a proposal06:14, 03 Aug 2026More people are taking automatic tests(Image: Catherine Falls Commercial via Getty Images)Motorists who pass automatic driving tests should be allowed behind the wheel of a manual car after completing a one-hour conversion session, according to the AA. Edmund King, president of the motoring services company, told the Press Association “it doesn’t make sense” for them to wait months for a manual driving test slot, as most “quickly develop good road skills”.‌Motorists who pass the test in an automatic car are currently only permitted to drive automatics. If they later want to drive a manual car – such as when working, hiring a car or borrowing a friend or relative’s car – they must pass a further test in a manual car.‌But Driver an