I mean, I've always envisioned a sort of uber-graduated license for driving with "distractions".
You're 16 and you get your license and you get a car with one seat, a speedometer, and a manual gearbox. You then can undergo additional testing/licensure that shows you can cope with additional distractions (passengers, radio, cupholder, tachometer, Google Glass).
Trouble is, I don't think many people would go for that.
One sense in which a manual gearbox might make sense for beginners is that it arguably leaves you more in tune with what's actually going on inside the car. Much like knowing assembly can guide your C.
This does not mean, however, that it actually helps with safety, and that concern should probably dominate.
You're 16 and you get your license and you get a car with one seat, a speedometer, and a manual gearbox. You then can undergo additional testing/licensure that shows you can cope with additional distractions (passengers, radio, cupholder, tachometer, Google Glass). Trouble is, I don't think many people would go for that.