For a long time, the manual transmission was considered one of the main symbols of driving skill and a direct connection between a person and a car. However, modern technologies are gradually changing its role. Increasingly, the familiar gear lever and clutch pedal perform a more decorative function, while transmission control is entirely taken over by electronics. This conclusion was reached by the German magazine Auto, motor und sport, which traced the evolution of manual transmissions over the past decades.
Ferrari retained the feel but abandoned true mechanics
One of the most striking examples of the new approach was the Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale.
From the driver's perspective, everything looks familiar: you need to press the clutch pedal and manually move the gear lever. However, in reality, these actions no longer have a direct mechanical connection to the transmission.
Inside the car, an eight-speed robotic dual-clutch transmission operates. All driver movements are first converted into digital commands, after which the electronics perform the shifts independently.
In essence, the familiar manual transmission turns into a carefully designed imitation, where real mechanical processes are replaced by electronic control.
Similar experiments began decades ago
The idea of abandoning the traditional clutch pedal appeared much earlier.
One of the first such projects was the Saab 900 Sensonic.
The car retained:
- a conventional manual transmission;
- a traditional gear lever.
However, there was no clutch pedal in the design.
Sensors installed on the lever recorded the driver's actions and transmitted commands to a hydraulic actuator, which independently disengaged and engaged the clutch.
Despite the originality of the solution, the system proved to be insufficiently reliable. Frequent malfunctions led to the abandonment of this development shortly thereafter.
Robotic transmissions became a new stage of development
The next major step occurred in the early 2000s.
In 2003, Volkswagen introduced an affordable dual-clutch transmission on the Golf R32. This transmission provided almost instantaneous gear changes without interrupting the power flow.
Almost simultaneously, BMW also offered its own concept.
The SMG II gearbox appeared on the sporty BMW M3, which was a manual transmission without a clutch pedal.
The driver controlled shifts using paddle shifters, and the gear change speed could be selected from eleven different modes.
Koenigsegg combined classic and modern technologies
One of the most unusual modern solutions was the Engage Shift System, developed for the Koenigsegg CC850.
The car received all the familiar elements of a classic manual transmission:
- a six-speed gear lever;
- a clutch pedal.
However, the transmission itself works much more complexly.
Depending on the selected mode, the gear ratios change, and when driving in heavy city traffic, the car independently uses all nine automatic gears.
Thus, the driver retains the familiar sensations, although the actual operation of the transmission is controlled by an electronic system.
Japanese manufacturers chose a different path
In Japan, transmission development followed a completely different scenario.
The Toyota Prius uses a planetary gear, which lacks familiar belts and fixed gears. Speed changes occur due to the combined operation of electric motors.
In turn, Honda, in its e:HEV hybrid system, practically abandoned the traditional transmission.
In most modes, the internal combustion engine acts as a generator, providing electricity to the traction electric motor. Only when driving on the highway is a direct mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels used.
Even electric vehicles began to simulate gear changes
Despite the absence of classic transmissions, some modern electric vehicles also reproduce the familiar sensations of driving a car.
This approach is used by:
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 N;
- Porsche Taycan.
In the case of Hyundai, the driver feels sharp jolts during shifts and the operation of a virtual rev limiter.
Porsche engineers chose a softer approach. Here, artificial shifts occur smoothly, without loss of traction, while creating the impression of a traditional clutch operation.
The main task was not mechanics, but emotions
Modern technologies show how much the attitude of manufacturers towards transmissions has changed.
If earlier the manual transmission symbolized:
- driving pleasure;
- engineering achievements;
- the sporty character of the car;
- high dynamic capabilities,
today it is increasingly becoming just one of the available functions of the car.
According to Auto, motor und sport, the further development of such systems is no longer related to the improvement of mechanical components. The main task is to create the most convincing illusion of the familiar gear shifting process, while all the main work is increasingly taken over by electronics.