Driver's license for vehicles with manual transmission may be invalid in Sweden

By Alimat Aliyeva

As the automotive industry shifts towards electric vehicles with automatic transmissions, there is growing uncertainty about the necessity of obtaining a driver's license for vehicles with manual transmissions, Azernews reports.

In Sweden, more people are opting for driver's licenses that allow them to drive cars with automatic transmissions. Over the past decade, the number of such licenses has increased by 600 percent.

The Swedish Transport Administration is facing difficulties in acquiring test vehicles, as manufacturers are gradually discontinuing the production of cars with manual transmissions. Currently, only six models that meet the requirements for the driving test are available.

The European Union plans to ban the sale of cars with internal combustion engines by 2035, which could signal the end of manual transmission vehicles, as electric vehicles are almost exclusively equipped with automatic transmissions. However, experts believe that the requirement for a driver's license to operate cars with manual transmissions will likely remain for drivers in emergency services, such as ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles.

The future of manual transmission licenses will be shaped by new EU regulations that will determine the fate of driving requirements. While the demand for manual transmission vehicles continues to decline, it is clear that the shift towards electric, automatic vehicles is accelerating.

The decline of manual transmission vehicles is part of a larger global trend towards electric mobility, driven by sustainability goals, stricter emissions regulations, and technological advancements in battery and motor efficiency.