Automatic Driving Lessons in Reading
Learn without a clutch or gears, with a local DVSA-approved instructor and pick-up from home. Choose weekly lessons or an intensive course.
Key Takeaways
- Automatic lessons remove clutch control and gear changes, so you focus on the road from your first lesson.
- Passing in an automatic gives you a licence for automatic cars only.
- Droober offers weekly automatic courses, intensive courses and refresher lessons across Reading.
- Take your test in your instructor’s automatic car with our test day package.
Automatic driving lessons in Reading with Droober start at £1,376 for a 20-hour course. You learn without a clutch or gears, but your licence covers automatic cars only.
Stalling at a busy junction or rolling back on a hill puts many learners off driving. Droober’s automatic instructors in Reading remove those worries, so your lessons focus on reading the road, lane choice and hazards.
Manual or automatic: how to decide
Choose automatic if
You want to pass with fewer hours.
You feel anxious about stalling in traffic.
Your household car is automatic, or you plan to buy an electric or hybrid car. Electric cars have no manual gearbox.
Choose manual if
Your job may involve driving manual vans or pool cars.
You want the widest choice of used cars.
You may hire cars abroad, where manual cars often cost less.
“Learners who struggle with clutch control often come to us after months of manual lessons elsewhere. Switching to automatic lets them focus on the road, and many reach test standard sooner.”
Jameel, Droober ADI, Reading
What an automatic licence lets you drive
Pass in an automatic and your licence shows code 78, which limits you to automatic vehicles. To drive a manual car later, you need to pass a second practical test in a manual car. GOV.UK lists every restriction code on its page.
Learning in an automatic for electric and hybrid cars
Electric cars have no manual gearbox, and hybrids sold today come with automatic gearboxes as standard. If you plan to buy or lease an electric or hybrid car, an automatic licence covers everything you need.
The UK plans to end sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. Manual cars will stay on the road for years, but the share of new automatic cars keeps rising. For most learners, the code 78 restriction matters less each year.
The restriction still matters if your work may need you to drive manual vans or pool cars. Check with your employer before you decide.
Automatic driving on Reading roads
The A33 and dual carriageways
An automatic handles acceleration for you, so you can focus on timing your merge and checking your mirrors. You practise joining the A33 at 50 mph and changing lanes in fast traffic.
The IDR and town-centre queues
Stop-start traffic on the IDR is where automatics help most. Without clutch control, you keep your attention on lane markings, buses and pedestrians.
Caversham Bridge and busy junctions
Queues and turning traffic around Caversham Bridge teach you to hold your position, judge gaps and creep forward with control using the brake alone.
Residential streets
Quieter streets in Tilehurst and Lower Earley give you space to practise parking and manoeuvres before you move to busier roads.
For test centre details, see our driving lessons in Reading page.
Your automatic course options
Weekly automatic courses
One or two hours a week, from 20 hours. Suits you if you want steady progress alongside work or study.
Intensive automatic courses
Regular lessons with one instructor, from 10 to 48 hours. See our intensive driving course page in Reading.
Refresher lessons
For drivers who passed years ago and want confidence back, or learners who have driven an automatic before.
Practical Test Preparation
Three hours with your instructor and an automatic car in one day for £250. Use it for a mock test or your test day. This suits you if you practised in a family automatic and need a dual-control car for your test.
What your lessons cover
First lessons: steering, accelerating and braking, moving off and basic manoeuvres on quiet roads.
Building skills: junctions, roundabouts, dual carriageways, parking and town traffic.
Before your test: full mock tests near the test centre and work on weak spots.
All Droober cars have dual controls, so your instructor can step in if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are automatic driving lessons more expensive?
Automatic courses with Droober cost £1,376 for 20 hours, compared with £1,280 for manual. Automatic learners often need fewer hours, which can reduce your total cost.
Do you need fewer lessons in an automatic?
Most learners need fewer hours, as they skip clutch control and gear changes. You still need the same road skills, so your total depends on how fast you build confidence in traffic.
Can I drive a manual car with an automatic licence?
No. An automatic licence covers automatic vehicles only. To drive a manual, you must pass another practical test in a manual car.
Can I switch from manual to automatic lessons?
Yes. Many learners switch after struggling with clutch control. Tell us when you book, and we will match you with an automatic instructor.
What if I am nervous or have failed before?
Many learners switch to automatic after a failed test or a difficult start in a manual car. Your instructor starts at your level, works on the faults from your last test and builds your confidence before you rebook.
Book your automatic lessons in Reading
Choose a weekly or intensive automatic course on our Courses and Prices page. You pay once with no deposit, and your instructor contacts you to arrange your first lesson. Read what learners say on our Reading reviews page.