Automatic licence can i drive semi automatic

Advice Centre Preparing for your driving test. Lisa Simm 30 Jul Lisa Simm 06 Jun Sign up for our newsletter to receive our latest news and offers How will we use your email? Follow us and like us:. Useful links: Home. Contact Us.

Customer Relations. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Due to the extra costs in making complicated automatic transmission and low sales, car manufacturers were reluctant to produce cars with automatic transmission. But gone are the days of the slow and boring automatic and as such, many more drivers are opting for automatic cars. But what exactly can you drive on an automatic licence? If you have a driving licence that restricts you to vehicles with automatic transmission only, the DVLA states that you can drive any car that does not have a manual clutch to operate.

These types of cars are as follows:. The traditional fully automatic transmission has been around for many years and is what you would typically find in cheaper modern cars, or older used cars. Like manual transmission cars, these gearboxes use cogs to differentiate the gears but instead of using a clutch to change gear, they use something called a torque converter.

D ue to numerous improvements over the years, they have become highly reliable and offer greater fuel efficiency. A semi-automatic transmission combines the basics of both manual and automatic transmission. The engine produces kinetic energy which helps to rotate the wheels and carefully tuned gear ratios control how fast or slow they spin.

The automatic clutch connects to a hydraulic motor a replacement for a clutch pedal , and changes gear for you when in automatic mode. If you decide to take manual control, the computer will tell you when to shift up or down via the corresponding paddle.

The computer always controls the clutch function, so you don't have to worry about syncing it all up. A semi-automatic gear stick is very different to a manual one. There's no fork-like arrangement of numbers see above but a lever with letters sits in its place.

Park acts as a handbrake. It locks the transmission and stops your car from moving from where you have left it. Whenever you get out of the car, make sure you engage park mode. If you want the car to go backwards, you need to select reverse. You should not put the car into reverse for any other reason. Neutral is the mode you use to stop for a short period of time, such as waiting at traffic lights. If your semi-automatic car has a handbrake, it's important to engage this at the same time.

Even if you have selected neutral, your car will still creep forward if you take your foot off the brake. You should not engage neutral for any other reason. Selecting manual puts you in charge of changing gear.

The car will only automate the clutch in this mode. Drive keeps the car moving forward. Whenever you want to go anywhere, you must put the car in drive. If you're not, the computer can't change gears for you. The UK Government classes a semi-automatic car as an automatic, so you can drive one on an automatic only licence. The default mode is automatic and, as there is no clutch pedal, it doesn't count as a manual vehicle. This means that you never have to engage Manual mode if you don't hold the licence or you struggle to get your head around changing gear.

It's virtually impossible for you to stall a semi-automatic car because it has no clutch pedal. Jerky clutch movements are the main cause of stalling and, as the computer takes care of the clutch, a semi-automatic car removes the problem.

If your semi-automatic car does stall, technical problems are likely to blame. If it stalls on a regular basis and you're not doing anything unusual while driving, book an appointment at a local garage. The advantages of taking an automatic driving course, and gaining an automatic license, are that these types of cars are easier to learn to drive. This is more the case for people who are learning to drive later on in life, or have struggled with learning with a manual car or have repeatedly failed their manual test in the past.

Younger drivers are encouraged to learn with a manual car, for greater flexibility when it comes to choosing their first car. That is unless they need to pass the test quickly, or really struggle to cope with the demand of learning to drive a manual car.

In which case it is considered easier and faster to pass with an automatic, a rule that can apply to anyone. While individual circumstances will vary, learning in an automatic should also save you money as it can reduce the number of lessons required to pass the test.

Automatic cars are also the better learning option for those with disabilities, leg or joint problems and other issues that might see them struggle to drive a manual vehicle. For many people, they simply feel more comfortable driving in an automatic, which is a key part of the driving experience, so there is that to be considered as well.

Learning in an automatic helps take the focus off constantly controlling the pedals and adjusting the gear stick, and allows the learner driver to focus on what is going on ahead of them on the road, and give them greater situational awareness.