Aye, passing in a vehicle with an automated manual transmission (i.e. Volvo I-Shift, ZF AS Tronic, and etc.) will restrict you to vehicles with automatic transmission (Restriction Code: 78 ).
In the bus industry there’s plenty of 78 Restricted licences because of the fact that buses haven’t had clutches for about 4 decades! Now that AMTs are here I can guess that the Coaching side will start taking people on with 78 Restricted licences - a coach company I have recently applied to join has just renewed its fleet and all of their manuals have been replaced with Volvo I-Shifts - so they can now take on people with a 78 Restricted licences as the whole fleet now has Two-Pedal operations!
I agree with dieseldave that manuals should still exist - I myself cannot truly appreciate what kind of a difference a gearbox without a clutch does because it’s all I’ve ever had the chance to drive. I suppose the most experience I have of driving manuals was during the Driving School…and that’s probably about it!
Even tiny citycars can now be supplied with an AMT for a £500 optional extra! But personally I can’t see the Car industry falling the same way as the Commercial Vehicle industry - cars will still have clutches for years and years. Mind you in America they sell cars with autos as standard!
If anyone does know of a Driving School that offers tuition in a vehicle with an automated manual gearbox could you please let me know!? Thanks.
Richard
