Automatic transmissionSouth Africa

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84. Automatic transmission

An automatic transmission is a vehicle transmission that changes gears automatically without requiring the driver to operate a conventional clutch pedal and manually select each gear. Depending on the design, the driver normally selects positions such as park, reverse, neutral and drive while the transmission manages gear changes.

An automatic transmission can make driving simpler by removing the need to coordinate a clutch pedal and manual gear changes. Automatic transmissions include several different technologies, such as conventional automatics, continuously variable transmissions and dual-clutch systems.

Automatic transmission in a Kia Opirus.
Wikimedia.org • Jhcbs1019 • CC BY-SA
What is an automatic transmission?

An automatic transmission is a gearbox that automatically selects and changes gears without requiring the driver to operate a conventional clutch pedal.

How is an automatic transmission different from a manual transmission?

With an automatic transmission, gear changes are handled automatically, while a manual transmission normally requires the driver to operate a clutch and select each gear manually.

Do all automatic transmissions work in the same way?

No. Different designs include conventional automatic transmissions, continuously variable transmissions and dual-clutch systems, although they can all operate without the driver manually controlling a clutch during normal driving.

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