Compiled with the help of artificial intelligence, based on Spanish-language information. Source below the article.
Learning to drive in an automatic car can be simpler for some learners, as there is no clutch or gearstick to contend with. However, choosing this option carries a significant consequence: the licence is restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission. That said, the European Union has approved new rules that will allow drivers to remove the so-called code 78 through specific training.
What the code 78 restriction means
Code 78 appears on a driving licence when the practical test is taken in a vehicle with automatic transmission. This means the driver is only permitted to drive that type of vehicle. Anyone wishing to drive a manual car must sit another practical test using a vehicle with a gearstick. The new European rules, however, offer an alternative.
A seven-hour course in a manual car
Directive (EU) 2025/2205 establishes that drivers who obtain a category B licence in an automatic vehicle will be able to have this restriction removed. The course will last a minimum of seven hours and must be completed in a vehicle with manual transmission. During this training, the driver must demonstrate their ability to handle this type of transmission, including practice on roads open to traffic. Once the course is completed, the driver will no longer be bound by code 78 and will be able to drive both types of vehicle.
Boosting the shift to automatics
The rules aim to increase sales of automatic vehicles, particularly electric and hybrid models, which have an ever-growing presence on the market. In this way, drivers will adapt to automatic vehicles, which are set to play an increasingly prominent role on the roads.
When the change will reach Spain
Although the European directive has already been approved, the change will not be immediate in Spain. Member states have until 26 November 2028 to adapt their national legislation, with the new measures expected to apply from 26 November 2029. Until then, tests will remain as they are now and those who obtain a category B licence in an automatic vehicle will continue to be subject to the code 78 restriction.
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