Learn to Drive an Automatic Car with 1st Castle

Learning to drive an automatic car is becoming ever more popular. If you’re looking to start automatic driving lessons in Hampshire or Sussex, learn with 1st Castle – we are a professional, reputable and fun driving school with dedicated Automatic Driving Instructors, both male and female, to help you learn.

Why Automatic?

In a nutshell, driving an automatic car means you don’t have to worry about changing gear. Once the gear selector is set in ‘drive’, the gearbox will look after itself and is always in the right gear at the right time. This allows you more time to concentrate on other traffic and your hazard perception.

Other Benefits of Learning to Drive in an Automatic

Automatic cars don’t stall (relief!). The car has a hydraulically operated clutch that engages when the accelerator is pushed down – to give a smooth take off – and disengages before stopping – preventing the car from stalling.

Hill Starts Made Easy

Hill starts are done for you with most automatics as there is a phenomenon known as “Idle creep”. At engine tick-over the car moves slowly forwards and is easily controlled by the foot brake. This small amount of pull means that the car will not roll back on small/medium gradients. This is also useful when manoeuvring the car, or for easing forward at junctions where visibility is obstructed by parked vehicles, trees, hedges etc.

Ease, Control, Fun!

In the past, automatics have been stigmatized. But this opinion is changing as drivers now appreciate the sheer ease, control and fun of driving the latest DSG (Dynamic Shift Gearbox). The DSG is an automatic with a manual override (by means of paddles on the steering wheel – just like a formula one racing car) and gives a transmission for all moods and occasions.

Fuel Economy

These new style transmissions also have the same or better fuel economy than a manual car. This has been a major factor in the popularity of automatics in this country. In the future it is assumed that most cars will be automatic as the new breed of electric cars only have two pedals and don’t need a gearbox or clutch. Therefore it makes good sense to learn to drive an automatic car now, with a specialist driving instructor at hand.