Unless you are a skilled driver, a car enthusiast or a heavy vehicle operator, manual transmission is limited to learners. And once these learners pass the test and get their driving licence, most will switch to automatic transmission right away.
So why has it remained important to learn to drive a stick in the country? Quite a number of countries allow learners to choose between learning manual or automatic. As a matter of fact, a recent news article reported how automatic car is increasingly used during driving tests, and manual transmission is slowly phasing out due to the plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles in favour of automatic electric cars by 2035 to reduce carbon emissions.
The authorities ought to take into account the change in preferences and innovations in the car industry, and respond to these changes accordingly.
Given how many people immediately forgo the use of manual transmission upon passing their driving test goes to show the persistence in teaching the “old way” of driving is counterintuitive.
Inquisitive Mind
