Spain’s top traffic chief wants automatic cars to become the standard. New rules will soon let drivers with automatic licences switch to manuals with less hassle, a move that could change how people learn to drive and speed up the shift to electric vehicles.
Pere Navarro, head of the Dirección General de Tráfico, is backing automatic gearboxes. He says, "the future is the automatic gearbox, even to help the electric car." Navarro’s push marks a clear turn in Spain’s driving rules. New changes are coming that could make manual gearboxes a thing of the past for many drivers.
Right now, half of all new cars sold in Spain are automatics. Navarro points to this as proof that drivers have already changed their habits. For years, people have argued over manual versus automatic. Some drivers like the control of a clutch. Others prefer the ease of automatics. But the numbers show automatics are now mainstream.
Under current Spanish law, drivers who pass their test in an automatic car are legally prohibited from driving manual vehicles and face sanctions if caught doing so.
At the moment, Spanish law only lets drivers who pass their test in an automatic car drive automatics. If they want to drive a manual, they have to go back to driving school and pass another practical test. That’s about to change. Thanks to the European Union’s Directive (EU) 2025/2205, Spain will soon let people with automatic-only licences drive manual cars after a seven-hour extra course. They won’t need to take a second full exam. Spain has until November 2029 to put this rule in place.
Navarro says automatics make the driving test less stressful. Without a clutch, learners don’t have to worry about stalling the engine. They can focus on the road and have a better shot at passing. This could speed up the move to automatics, especially since electric cars only use automatic gearboxes.
The rule change isn’t just about making things easier. It matches what’s happening in the car market and the push for more electric vehicles. As more people choose automatics, the rules need to keep up. The EU wants to make standards the same across member countries and cut out extra steps for drivers.
According to independent Spanish media, the share of electrified passenger cars in Spain reached 21.8% in the first half of 2026, marking a 37.9% year-on-year increase. This surge is closely linked to the growing prevalence of automatic transmissions, as electric vehicles are inherently automatic.
Some drivers worry about how reliable automatics are and what it costs to keep them running. Recent advice from mechanics stresses the need for regular checks, especially as automatics become more common.
Spain’s plan to make it easier to switch between automatic and manual licences is a practical answer to new technology and changing habits. With half the market already automatic and electric cars on the rise, manual gearboxes may soon be rare. The DGT’s move shows a rare moment of clear rules in a sector that usually changes slowly. For Spanish drivers, the road ahead is looking smoother—and more automatic.
