Do I need an automatic car for adaptations?

Manual cars used to dominate the market but automatic cars are more common now with the requirement for automatic transmission in vehicles with any form of electric engine.

As manual cars are still being built, and as we also adapt older vehicles, we do still get asked about adapting manual vehicles regularly.

Not all types of adaptations require an automatic car but many of them do.

If the adaptation is nothing to do with driving, such as a boot hoist or transfer plate, then the transmission of the car will not matter.

If the adaptation is related to driving the vehicle, then in most cases, a car with automatic transmission will be required. Some of the most common adaptations we get asked about are shown below but if you want to know about any other adaptations, please get in touch.

Do I need an automatic car for hand controls?

An automatic car is required when driving with brake/accelerator hand controls due to the additional functions you are taking on with your hands. As you are converting the braking and accelerating to be done with your hand, you need to reduce the hand operations by removing the requirement to change gear. This is relevant even if you are comfortable still being able to operate a clutch pedal with your left leg. As you will be using your right hand on the brake and accelerator hand control, and left hand for steering, the requirement to take your hand off the wheel to change gear can leave you without control of the vehicle and therefore a hand control will always be installed on an automatic.

Do I need an automatic car for a left foot accelerator?

An automatic car is required when driving with a left foot accelerator. The additional left hand side accelerator pedal will take up the space within the footwell where the clutch pedal would be situated in a manual car. Therefore, it is not only not possible to use your left foot for both the accelerator and clutch but there would not be the physical space to have a left foot accelerator fitted in a manual car.

Do I need an automatic car for a steering aid?

Steering aids are often installed alongside hand controls or left foot accelerators so are commonly installed on automatic vehicles but they can be fitted as an individual adaptation to a manual car.