Major component found on almost all cars ‘set to | Tech News

A common component found on almost all cars may fully “disappear” by the top of the last decade, in accordance to new evaluation. A new research by consultants at Vehicle Data Global (VDG) has steered that handbook gearboxes could possibly be fully extinct on UK roads within a matter of years.

They reveal that largely all new cars will likely be offered with an computerized transmission, placing an finish to gear shifting. Brand new battery electric automobiles and hybrid cars are often fitted with computerized transmissions as a substitute of handbook gearboxes found in conventional petrol and diesel cars.

It signifies that as demand for combustion cars falls and EV and hybrid gross sales rise, computerized gearboxes will inevitably make up the bulk. Ben Hermer, Operations Director at VDG steered that as little as 5% of cars will likely be handbook by the top of the last decade.

He defined: “The moment is fast approaching when the economics of maintaining a manual transmission option don’t add up, given the R&D, certification and other overheads involved in developing and refining gearboxes, even if there remains some demand in the market.

“Based on current trend data, between 5% and 10% of cars will theoretically still be manual by 2030.

“But manufacturers will be looking hard at whether maintaining manual gearbox programmes for a shrinking share of the market makes economic sense, while they manage the overall pressures of transitioning from ICE (internal combustion engine) and competing with international market entrants in the EV sector.”

Demand for handbook transmissions are additionally down amongst these nonetheless shopping for inner combustion automobiles. According to VDG information, curiosity for handbook transmission dropped from 55% in 2019 to simply 34% in 2025.

The consultants steered that handbook transmission cars accounted for simply 13.7% of the market to date this yr. Drivers are more and more selecting the benefit of computerized cars, particularly in more built-up city areas the place stop-start site visitors is common.

Learner drivers are additionally more and more gravitating in direction of computerized cars as a substitute of conventional gearboxes.

Previous information from the AA Driving School revealed that 21% of its college students handed their take a look at in an computerized car in 2024, up from 9.5% simply 5 years earlier than.