Automatic Manual Transmission

Love the paddle shifters in my Fit. A little less convenient in the Equinox, but both work well especially down shifting on grades.

In my '65 GTO it was called a his and hers shifter.

Automatically shifted manuals in today's cars are generally European based and actually start from a manual transmission. When their customers started demanding "automatics" they trended toward a manual trans that is automatically shifted. In the US, our car fleet was primarily automatic trans based (torque converter and planetary gear set as one of the others mentioned. So when our customers wanted a more manual feel, we started providing a manually shifted automatic with either paddle shifters or a +/- button on the shift lever. Either of these only came about with the advent of electronically controlled transmissions.

Dutchmen - your truck and Equinox are the manually shifted automatic type - Automatic transmissions that they let you shift manually when you move the selector to "M". The electronics will not let you over-rev the engine but you can manually keep the auto trans in a gear as long as the brain knows you are within the parameters to not cause damage to the engine or trans. If you leave it in normal mode and go WOT (wide open throttle) it will shift automatically at about the same max RPM that the brain will let you go to in manual mode. It just gives you the ability to manually shift up or down what is really an automatic trans in the normal sense of the words.

The automatically shifted manuals start out as a manual and add the electronic controls to be able to operate the clutch and be smart enough to know when to shift up or down based on a bunch of parameters such as load, throttle position, engine power map, and a host of other stuff.

Which you get in a particular vehicle is probably more dependent on where it is from - US has most expertise in automatics , Europe has traditionally had more manual trans in their fleet so they start form that base.

This is based on 43 years in the powertrain side of the auto industry.

Most of the side by side utility terrain vehicles (SxS UTV) have constant velocity transmissions (CVT) with belt drive.

I thin what's being talked about is a conventional torque-converter plus planetary gear automatic with the option of shifting it manually, either with some type of floor shift lever or paddles on the steering wheel.

Two other things that might be referred to:

A computer-controlled gears-on-shafts manual transmission (which might involve more than one gearbox in tandem), with a single clutch between engine and transmission. Examples include the six-speed autoshift Fiat uses in the Ducato (we get it in the Ram Promaster diesel), and autoshift motorcoach and heavy truck transmissions. Most have automatic clutch actuation from a standstill.

Double clutch gears-on-shafts manual transmissions controlled by computer, usually with electronic selection among several shifting profiles (names like economy, city, sport, track, insane). Most have double gear trains as well as double clutches. These have worked their way over from racing technology, and can be as smooth as the smoothest automatics, or faster than all but the best drivers can consistently shift really good manual transmissions. Sometimes there is still a "manual" program option but the clutch pedal is gone. This is often the only transmission now offered for premium GT cars and high performance sport sedans, but the technology has also worked its way into economy cars, particularly where engines are too small and MPG standards too tight to allow for the inefficiencies of torque-converter automatics. The other alternative for automatics in economy cars now is the CVT.

Thanks for the info, I didn't realize it had the option to use Manual shift. Here is a description (I think) of the transmission from the manual. " SelectShift AutomaticTM Transmission (If Equipped) Your vehicle is equipped with a SelectShift Automatic transmission gearshift lever. The SelectShift Automatic transmission gives you the ability to change gears up or down (without a clutch) as desired."

I think I had something like this in my 2008 Nissan Maxima and I never used it. Of course no hills here, unless you count overpasses.

This vehicle will be used in mountains since it will be a TOAD, but still not sure I would use it.

Have to talk to DH about that one. There is no cost difference so I guess if the car is equipped fine, if not, no biggie.

My truck and my car (Equinox) both have this feature. Both are simply called "Manual". Basically, it allows you to shift to the next gear at the RPM level you want. Why? Well, for quicker pick-up for one. From a dead stop you can RPM the engine to 5000 before hitting second gear. Whereas normal automatic shifting may shift to second at a much lower RPM.... say 1500. When shifting to the second gear, face it, you don't have a much quick UMPH! So, I suppose if you are a speed racer and like to drive with Jack Rabbit starts and race the engine and dream you are a race track, this feature works pretty well.

But when you turn 60, I think it's a waste of technology. Let the dang machine shift itself... I'm to dang old to pretend I'm in a race car any more. Besides... I grew up in the day when manual transmissions were the standard, 3 on the column to 5 on the floor, to 16 of them in a semi truck!

I suppose the best use of manually selecting a gear would be in mountain driving when you need the car to stay in a specific gear, either up hill or down hill. My car has only 1 option ... "D". And it will shift where it wants.

Put in "M" and it will stay in the gear.

Good technology? Well, considering there is only a "D" option, it's not a bad feature to have, especially if you live in hill or mountain country.

Automated manual transmissions are used in trucking quite a bit. The Eaton/Fuller Autoshift line of transmissions are manual transmissions with an automated air clutch and air shift. They are heavy duty, simple and reliable as a manual transmission.

However, I don't think this is what the poster is talking about. I think he is talking about typical automatic (hydraulic, planetary gear) transmissions that can be shifted manually. This is what most autos are going to these days in cars, light trucks and suv's.

Personally, I don't see the purpose of the Automated Manual Transmission.

It seems like a novelty type thing that may lower the trade/resale price of your vehicle.

And, it seems fairly complicated. (expensive to fix)

If you want to shift gears, find something with a manual transmission.

I would get the automatic transmission. :)

It might take a couple tenths off the quarter mile if you had the right setup but I don't think that's what your looking for.