An 18-year-old driver on Queensland's Sunshine Coast has chosen to take her driving test in a manual car, bucking the trend towards automatic vehicles. Roxsy, who recently passed her test, said she prefers the control manual driving offers. Her instructor, Kerry Turner from Murris on the Move driving school, noted that while automatic lessons are more common, young women are increasingly opting for manual licences.
Queensland government data shows a significant shift over the past 23 years. Automatic licences have risen from about 150,000 per year (7% of total) to over 770,000 (21%). Manual licences have dropped from 93% to 79% in the same period. Transport and Main Roads statistics indicate one in four car licences issued last year were automatic, up from one in 10 in 2003.
Retired manual instructor Greg Williams observed a 'massive change' in the past five years, with city drivers largely abandoning manuals. However, in regional areas like north Queensland, central Queensland, and southern Queensland, over 80% of licences are still manual. RACQ researcher Andrew Kirk said manual licences remain essential for those on farms or in rural areas who need to operate older machinery.
The decline in manual cars is reflected in new vehicle sales. In 2000, 60% of new cars sold in Australia had automatic transmissions. Last year, that figure was 98%, and so far in 2026, it is 99%. Fewer than 4,000 new manual vehicles have been sold nationally this year, compared to over 359,000 automatics. Tony Weber, chief executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, attributed the shift to a generation that never learned to drive manuals, making them a niche product for sports cars and off-road activities.
Despite the trend, instructors like Greg Williams continue to appreciate manual driving. 'It's brilliant because you've got a clutch, you've got a gear shift, you've got gears and acceleration pedal and all that. I think it's fun,' he said. Roxsy's choice to go manual demonstrates that some young drivers still value the skill.
