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Aug 22, 2023

Readers reply: why is the US the only country where everyone drives an automatic?

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts Why is the US the only

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts

Why is the US the only country where nearly everyone drives an automatic? It’s de rigueur over here, whereas “driving stick” seems to be the default in other countries. Benton Oliver, San Diego

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Because they need a free hand to flip the bird to other road users! Brad Smith

If one is busy shifting with one’s right hand and clutching with one’s left foot, how can one possibly text/tweet, eat, put on mascara, shave, change the radio station, change nail polish (and, of course, take selfies of oneself engaging in all of these activities) while one is alternatively stand-still gridlocked or driving 20mph over the speed limit, while trying to avoid potholes and construction barriers on the highways at least twice daily? Seems absolutely reasonable to me that Americans drive automatics almost exclusively. Diana Gold

Because Americans are very unskilled drivers. My credentials for my opinion: I am an older American who has lived in the US and abroad in various countries, because of my work, and also travelled for pleasure to more than 75 countries, renting and driving cars in many of them. I have owned cars with manual transmissions and I have always rented manuals when on vacations abroad.

Whenever I come back to the US, I hate to have drive anywhere. Even in Maryland, where the test to get a driver’s licence is one of the more difficult, it is still ridiculously easy compared with those in many other countries (I am speaking from personal experience). The thinking seems to be that Americans have a built-in right to drive a car, so why make it difficult to get a licence? Yipes! Susan J

I have been driving manual transmission cars since 1966, when I got my driver’s licence. I started with a three-speed on the column – called “three on the tree” – and worked my way up to a six-speed on my BMW 328i. I like the feel of changing gears and I feel more in control of the car. Plus, it’s fun. I bought it in 2016 – there were fewer than five in the whole continental US, so I had to order it specially from BMW in Germany. Now, I’m told they will no longer make them for export. Peyton Collier-Kerr

Because they are lazy – and smart. The same can be said for Canadians. Why drive a stick shift when you can get better acceleration and better fuel economy with a modern automatic? As an added bonus, I have never seen anybody stall an automatic. Steen Petersen

Well, which came first? The lack of availability of stick-shift cars in the US, or the lack of interest in driving them? I have driven a stick since I was 16 and a half (my dad, born in 1920, taught me). These vehicles have grown very hard to come by here (my current car is a 2015). Most driving schools and motor vehicle registries use automatics to teach and test. We are a very lazy nation; driving a stick requires more effort. On the plus side, few people can borrow your car, because they don’t know how to drive it! pbmo

Mexico also mostly uses automatic cars. My question would be: why wouldn’t you? Anna Archdale

The US is not the only country driving automatic. I’m Canadian and we do, too! Why would you not? It’s so unnecessary to drive any other way. Why make your life harder than it needs to be when there are other things to worry about? Amy Phelan

I was in Seoul for two weeks about 25 years ago and asked a taxi driver one day why all the cars I had been in there were automatic. His immediate reply was: “Would you drive in traffic like this with a manual box?” to which my reply was: “No”. Years ago, I changed to automatic cars and would never go back now. The fuel consumption has never seemed that high and they allow you to concentrate on the road, essential in so much driving today in the UK. BigBear2

As a longtime driver in Los Angeles (where I learned to drive) after moving here from London in 1981, I have concluded that an automatic makes more sense here, where we have a grid system of roads with traffic lights at each intersection and no roundabouts, as in the UK. The endless stop-go driving is easier with an automatic transmission. I think I would go nuts if I had to drive stick and shift gears manually every time I hit a red light. lorantffy

In the UK and Europe, there is a long history of decent public transit. Owning a car isn’t a necessity for a vast majority of the people. Historically, owning and driving a car is thought of as a luxury. Driving is something you do for fun. In the US, outside the metro areas, particularly on the east coast, there still isn’t a strong infrastructure of public transit. Plus, the US is big, about the same size as continental Europe and about 40 times larger than the UK. Driving is a necessity for many people. Driving is a chore. And you want chores to be as easy as possible. There is nothing fun about being stuck in traffic on the 404, or having a three-hour round trip to the nearest town with a Costco. Driving an automatic just makes it easier. DuckDuNormandie

Americans aren’t the only people to drive automatic cars; their influence spread throughout the world after the second world war. Early vehicles with clutches were rudimentary, so the prospect of a smoother gear change was welcome, particularly in vehicles that stopped and started regularly, such as buses. Fluid couplings are much easier on passengers than a poorly executed clutched gear-change, but the system is less efficient.

The US’s cheap supply of oil allowed for any losses to be easy on the pocket. Large V8 engines driving through a lazy gear system became normal up until the first oil crises. The road system of the US is dominated by traffic lights and four-way stop junctions, which make gear changes more common. The cars fitted the roads and the roads were designed around the cars. The culture was fixed.

The single-gear electric vehicle is a simple solution for these problems. It may not be the best way. Which variations of driving systems win out is a bit like VHS versus Betamax. Our love of the clutch with the classic three-pedal layout was also established by the Americans. Prior to a 1930s Cadillac, there was little continuity of control. But it was better than a horse. Please be considerate out there. TW

I am an American who frequently drives in Europe. In California, and in much of the US, we have much greater distances to drive than in Europe. You could fit more than five Scotlands into California. And, of course, we have great, straight highways and roads. Roads in Europe tend to be much curvier and more narrow. I drove recently in Scotland and I was astonished at the number of roads wide enough for only one car.

The other consideration is that gas is much cheaper here than in Europe – one-third to half the cost – so we’re not as concerned about getting better mileage. I grew up learning how to drive with a stick, so I feel comfortable with both methods, although my Subaru Forester has an automatic; it’s very hard to buy a stick shift in the US. So, in summary: greater distances, straighter roads and cheaper gas. Fred Norman

This isn’t so much a question about the US, but a question about everywhere else. A few decades ago, it was an easier question to answer. Cars used to cost less with manual transmissions. They got better fuel economy. Drivers had more control. But with modern torque converters, automatic transmissions are just as efficient, mileage will be as good, cost is about the same and maintenance could be less. Automatic transmissions can have problems, but it’s not expected, while clutches in manual transmissions are expected to be serviced. Automatic transmissions still allow you to select a gear with the shift lever, which people might want to do when going downhill, for example.

As more and more people move to electric vehicles, which have a fixed gear transmission, fewer people will have automatic transmissions. Whether or not you want to call them manual is another matter, since the driver selects a “gear” of forward, reverse or neutral; the driver isn’t technically changing gears, but enabling the motor to turn one way or another. Some manufacturers are using the term “drive selector” instead of “gear shift” for this reason. In the meantime, people can make up whatever justification they want, but the reality is that it’s either because they are used to it or because it’s what everybody else does, not because of any advantages. Wayne Resnick

One of the first culture shocks I experienced moving from Australia to the UK was the lack of second-hand automatic cars. In Australia, it is far more common to drive an automatic car. In fact, 97% of cars sold in Australia have automatic transmissions. While convenience and ease of use is probably a big driver of the uptake of automatics, there is also the benefit of accessibility for elderly and disabled drivers, who can have difficulties driving “stick”. Anyone with a shoulder problem knows the trials of driving a manual car.

However, while living in the UK and routinely driving a manual car, I was reminded of its merits. I became a more considerate driver, leaving more space when stopped, so people had time to get their vehicles in gear. I learned the benefits of being able to control the gears of a car to manage icy roads. I was also reminded that manual cars, while uncommon, are generally cheaper in Australia than automatics. Felicity Radak

New Zealand is now like the US; automatic transmission dominates our driving. Given our hilly terrain, an automatic makes for more fluent driving. Peter Rowlands