Automatic driving lessons across the North East. Local instructors who know your test routes, modern hybrid cars and pickup from your door.
Over 20 years teaching the North East to drive. Twelve local instructors. Eight areas. Six test centres. Not one clutch between us.
The UK is switching to automatic, fast. Almost a third of driving tests are now taken in one, up from 7.5% ten years ago.
| Year | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| 2015/16 | 7.5% |
| 2016/17 | 8.2% |
| 2017/18 | 9.5% |
| 2018/19 | 11.1% |
| 2019/20 | 12.7% |
| 2020/21 | 13.8% |
| 2021/22 | 15.8% |
| 2022/23 | 19.2% |
| 2023/24 | 23.4% |
| 2024/25 | 26.1% |
| 2025/26 | 29.4% |
Source: DVSA test data via What Car? (to 2024/25) and the AA (2025/26).
“I keep stalling at junctions.”
No clutch, no stalling. The car handles the gears, so your attention stays on the road and the traffic around you.
“Learning the gears is taking forever.”
More of every lesson is real driving. Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart says gearbox training often takes up a large share of early manual lessons.
“I’m really nervous about driving.”
There is no rush. Our instructors are patient, calm and used to building confidence at a pace that suits you.
“I don’t know what the test will be like.”
You will know the roads. We prepare you on the local routes, and our free videos let you see them before you drive them.
Enough time to settle in, learn something new and get it right. No hidden charges or booking fees. Pick an option to enquire.
A six-hour course for new drivers, covering motorways, rural roads and night driving. It can reduce your insurance premium.
Not driven in a while? We build the lesson around what you need, from junctions to motorways.
We teach plenty of people who are anxious about driving. Our instructors are calm and there is no rush.
You will learn in a well-maintained, dual-control automatic. Our fleet is mostly quiet, smooth Toyota hybrids, alongside the VW Golf, Vauxhall Corsa, Renault Clio and Mercedes A Class.
A few taps and your details. It takes under a minute.No card details
We reply by email and pair you with your nearest available instructor.No obligation
We pick you up from your address in a modern automatic with dual controls.No stalling
Build up on the roads around your test centre, seven days a week, at times that fit around you.No rush
Collect your pass photo with the sign, then get out on the road on your own.No more L plates
Learn close to home, on the roads you will use on your test. Pick your area to enquire.
We also cover Ryhope, North Shields, Wallsend, Benton, Longbenton, Hetton-le-Hole, South Shields, Jarrow, Hebburn, Cleadon, Whitburn, Peterlee and surrounding areas. Not sure if we reach you? Leave your postcode on the form and we will let you know.
More about lessons in Sunderland, Durham, Newcastle, Gateshead, Washington, Seaham, North Tyneside, Houghton-le-Spring.
Twelve instructors, chosen for how they teach as much as how they drive. All are DBS checked and registered with the DVSA, as fully qualified instructors or licensed trainees, and all are local, so they know your test routes inside out.
The word learners use most in their reviews is calm.
Some of our instructors are multilingual, and our tutorials come in Bengali, Mandarin and Vietnamese.
We train instructors ourselves, so every lesson feels like Only Automatic.
Mostly Toyota hybrids, plus the VW Golf, Vauxhall Corsa, Renault Clio and Mercedes A Class.
We post every pass, and every pass has a story. Pick a photo to read it.
Lewis
Lewis stopped learning years ago after bad experiences with past instructors. He came back with Peter and passed his test in Sunderland on his first attempt, with just a couple of minor faults. He had already bought a red VW Polo, and his first trip was dropping an air fryer off at his nana’s.
Yat Poon
Yat Poon plays table tennis at the top level and travels all over the UK to compete. She represented Japan at the World Championships last year. After passing at Gosforth with Mandy, she can now drive herself to her next match instead of relying on public transport.
Lynden Gooch
Huddersfield Town footballer and former Sunderland favourite Lynden Gooch had been driving on an international permit since passing in the USA. Finding time for the UK test was the hard part, so he took a few guidance lessons with Peter. As he set off on his test, another motorist came the wrong way down a dual carriageway. He stayed calm and finished with zero faults.
Emma
Emma tried her test a few years ago, then went to the United States to finish her PhD. Back home, she decided to get it done. In dreadful rain she drove with zero faults, and the examiner called it the easiest pass he had ever given. She practised with our Sunderland Loop tutorial video, singing along the whole way.
Aaron
Aaron, his wife and their little boy were getting ready to move to Durham, with Aaron still working in Lemington. Passing at Gosforth with Mandy came at the perfect time, and makes both the commute and family life much easier.
Jobe
Jobe, a young footballer at Sunderland AFC, brought the focus and discipline he uses on the pitch to learning to drive. He passed his automatic driving test and showed he could be just as responsible on the road.
Nathan
Nathan wore his late grandad’s lucky watch on test day. On the way to the test centre, a toddler ran out between parked cars, and his quick reactions kept everyone safe. He went on to pass first time with one fault, and the examiner described it as an excellent pass.
Megan
Megan, a keen baker, passed her driving test at the first attempt after plenty of hard work. She was a pleasure to teach. That same night, she headed to London to see Mean Girls at the theatre.
Muhammed
Muhammed loved learning with Rabia, and it showed. He passed on his very first attempt with zero faults, and the examiner called it an excellent drive. His dad marked the result by buying him a new car.
Chelsea
Chelsea promised her dad she would learn to drive, though for a long time she was not sure she could. With Kevin’s patience and her own determination, she passed with only two minor faults. Her licence has already helped her earn a promotion, and she can now drive the family out to the coast.
Hoyee
Originally from Hong Kong, Hoyee is a qualified vet who teaches spin classes on her days off. She brought the same focus to her lessons with Tony. Even in the rain, she stayed calm and passed on her first attempt with zero faults.
Sarah
Local artist Sarah had the examiner beside her and the test centre manager in the back seat. She still drove with zero driving faults. When a car overtook dangerously at a mini roundabout, she had already spotted it in her mirrors and slowed down safely, which the examiner singled out for praise. She also prepared with our route videos.
Jake
Jake, a parts technician at Nissan, already knew his way around a car. He came to us after hearing glowing recommendations and loved learning with Mo. He passed first time with just three minor faults.
Niel
When Niel pulled back into Sunderland test centre, he told everyone he thought he had failed. Then the examiner stepped in and called it an exceptional drive, with zero faults. He has since signed up for Pass Plus to build his skills even further.
Bailey
Bailey tells everyone he never passes anything first time. Then he passed his driving test on his first attempt with just two minor faults. It capped a big month that also brought a promotion at work, and he is already looking at cars so he can follow Sunderland everywhere.
Millie
Millie needed 13 attempts at her theory test and nearly walked away. She kept going. Six months later she passed her practical at Gosforth on her very first attempt, with Mandy cheering her on and just three driver faults. The examiner praised her calm and professional attitude.
Du
Du runs a nail bar at Southwick Green and has two young children. Passing with Tony means he can share the driving with his wife and do more of the family’s daily errands, leaving more time together.
Brooke
Brooke went into her automatic test with a mix of nerves and confidence. She kept her composure, handled the traffic and manoeuvres well, and passed at the very first attempt.
Connie
Connie passed at her first attempt with Tony and left a kind review about his lessons. With her licence sorted, she can now drive with confidence to her new workplace in Stockton.
“I’ve had 2 past Instructors which I didnt feel confident with at all… However with Kevin my mistakes turned into great lessons which helped me improve by miles. When it came to the test, just like Kevin said I would, I passed with no faults.”
“Finding driving lessons with a 9–5 job wasn’t easy, but Rubel from Only Automatic made it work. He was approachable, understanding, and always calm.”
“Although [I] was a nervous driver and struggled a lot because of this, with the excellent support and patience he gave during my lessons [I] was able to gain the confidence [I] needed to pass.”
“Tony made learning really simple with some great and straightforward methods that I’ll keep using! He never made me feel bad for going back and practicing certain areas over and over.”
“He is very calm, patient, and incredibly knowledgeable. His clear guidance, encouragement, and focus on building my confidence behind the wheel helped me pass my driving test at the first attempt.”
“His encouragement helped me stay calm, even when I struggled with parallel parking, roundabouts etc. Thanks to their guidance, I not only passed my test but also feel confident driving on my own.”
“Whatever your experience, whether you’re a new driver, learner or just need a refresher, you will find Peter to be friendly and extremely helpful, patient and very clear with his advice and insights.”
Our instructors film the roads you will be tested on, and keep adding more. Over 80 free videos, from the Sunderland spiral roundabouts to a real-time Durham driving test.
We reply by email, talk through what you need and match you with your nearest available instructor. There is nothing to pay when you enquire.
Almost a third of UK driving tests are now taken in an automatic, and nearly every new car ordered is one. Sales of new petrol and diesel cars end in 2030, and electric cars do not have a manual gearbox. Without a clutch or gears to manage, you can put your attention on reading the road.
Two-hour lessons are £80. Block bookings are 5 x 2-hour lessons for £380 or 10 x 2-hour lessons for £760. There are no hidden charges or booking fees.
Two hours gives you time to settle in, learn something new and get it right before you head home. It is how nearly all of our instructors teach. If you need something shorter, Tony offers a 90-minute lesson for £60 in the Sunderland area, so just ask when you get in touch.
No. We do not hire out our cars for tests on their own. If you have been learning privately, get in touch about lessons first, so you get used to the car and the test routes with one of our instructors.
Yes. You can text or WhatsApp 07877 377 675, call the same number, or send an enquiry through this page.
No. An automatic licence covers automatic cars only, which includes hybrid and electric cars. If you ever want to drive a manual, you would need to pass a test in one.
Sunderland, Durham, Washington, Seaham, Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, North Tyneside, Houghton-le-Spring and surrounding North East areas. Get in touch if you are unsure whether we reach your postcode.
Our instructors know Blyth, Durham, Gosforth, Gateshead, Sunderland and Hartlepool test centres. We will prepare you on the local routes at whichever centre is nearest to you.
Yes. As well as our English tutorials, we have videos in Bengali, Mandarin and Vietnamese to help learners whose first language is not English. Some of our instructors also speak more than one language.
Yes. Pass Plus is a six-hour course for newly qualified drivers covering motorway, night and rural driving, and it can reduce your insurance premium. Refresher lessons are for drivers who have not driven for a while and want to rebuild their confidence.
You must be at least 17, or 16 if you receive the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance. You will need a valid UK provisional licence before your first lesson, which you can apply for on gov.uk or at a post office.
Tell us a little about you and we will match you with your nearest instructor. We aim to reply within a few hours.
A few quick taps, then where to reply.
