[kjetijor]

Norway is (probably) still a manual transmission holdout, potentially in part because you'll most likely end up being taught driving a manual as there's restrictions attached to your license. If you do your practical on an automatic, you're restricted to automatic, if you do it on a manual you get to drive both manual/automatic.

Anecdotally - early automatic transmissions weren't all that great on the windy mountain roads. My dad had two primary complaints (after having had an automatic rental). Tricking the car into downshifting to maintain speed or accelerate on steep ascents, and passing people on steep ascents, usually involved slamming on the brakes to trick the car into downshifting. (This were in the mid-90ies). My dad held onto the manual transmission until probably 2012-2013.

[Broken_Hippo]

The restriction bit is absolutely correct. I'd guess that a good number of folks that learn on an automatic or take the tests in an automatic do so by choice or physical need, however. Folks have to take courses from a driving school, which supplies the car for both the training and the actual test.

I completely understand why it is a manual transmission holdout. Your anecdote confirms the attitude from my spouse (the native Norwegian) and others. A manual is just safer, both because of the mountains and the snow.