Can You Drive a Manual Transmission Car with an Automatic Transmission License?
2 Answers
An automatic transmission license does not permit driving a manual transmission car. An automatic transmission driver's license is classified as a C2 license. According to China's traffic regulations, a C2 license for small automatic transmission vehicles only allows driving small and micro automatic transmission passenger cars, as well as light and micro automatic transmission cargo vehicles. Driving a manual transmission car with a C2 license is equivalent to driving without a license and will be subject to severe legal penalties. Relevant information about automatic transmission is as follows: 1. Introduction: As the name suggests, an automatic transmission does not require the driver to manually shift gears. The vehicle automatically selects the appropriate gear based on the driving speed and traffic conditions. Typically, an automatic transmission car has six gear positions, arranged from top to bottom as: P, R, N, D, S, L. 2. Automatic Principle: The engine's power is transmitted through the gearbox, which is also a key factor affecting fuel consumption. Generally, an automatic transmission consumes over 10% more fuel than a manual transmission. Whether manual or automatic, the more gears a transmission has, the more fuel-efficient it is.
I once accompanied a friend to the DMV for a license renewal and specifically asked the staff about this. Now I can tell you clearly, if you obtain an automatic transmission driver's license (C2 license), you can only drive automatic transmission vehicles. Driving a manual transmission car is absolutely considered unlicensed driving! The operation of using the left foot for the clutch and the right hand for gear shifting in a manual transmission is something that automatic transmission license holders have never learned. Encountering a hill start could easily lead to rolling back or stalling—how dangerous is that! Last year, a student at our driving school secretly drove their dad's manual transmission car and stalled three times at an intersection, causing a rear-end collision. If you really want to drive a manual transmission, I suggest directly obtaining a C1 license or upgrading your license later. If caught by traffic police driving a manual transmission with a C2 license, you'll face an immediate 9-point deduction and a fine—it's really not worth the risk.
