Manual vs automatic semi truck8/4/2023 There is a rhythm, an art, and a science to it – like ballet. Balancing vehicle speed against engine rpm and determining when to change up or down, matching revs with a blip of throttle, while braking or accelerating and executing a smooth clutch engagement so as not to upset the chassis, is an integral part of achieving that sublime feeling of being connected to the machine, and the road. Exercising those skills, even at moderate speeds, is what elevates driving a car above mere transportation.īut perhaps of all a driver’s skills, the proper, efficient use of a manual transmission is the one which elevates enthusiast driving above the point-and-go level of an automatic. All these things are part of the suite of skills that a good driver must possess. There is a range of other skills that come into play when driving for pleasure, and not just getting from point to point - gauging the proper speed to take a turn, exiting one curve set up on the proper line to enter the next, braking efficiently to carry your momentum through the corners. When exercising years of finely honed skill to put a well-tuned car through its paces on a curving road, or race track, there is nothing better than rowing through the gears the old-fashioned way. Why Enthusiasts Prefer Manualsįor the stop-and-go traffic of the morning commute, or the slow grind of weekend beach traffic, an automatic transmission can be a godsend – but to feel the visceral joy of driving, enthusiasts prefer to take full control. The car’s electronic brain and its minions – the valves and actuators that push and pull to move the gears in the gearbox and engage the clutch – are doing all the real work. However, even automated manuals and dual-clutch transmissions, which allow the driver the option of deciding when to shift, demand little of the vehicle operator in the way of physical skill and expertise. To combat the first issue, many units now employ fake “gears” to mimic the feel and sound of a conventional transmission, and some even allow manual shifting between them. However, they also have two downsides: Many drivers are turned off by the lack of “shifts” between gears and constant engine RPM, and they cannot handle high torque or heavy loads. Most conventional automatic units permit some degree of actual manual shifting as well.ĬVT transmissions have gained favor for their simplicity and their efficiency they have a lot less moving parts than a conventional automatic and better than 80% efficiency. Jam your foot hard on the throttle, and the computer chip will read all the signs, and push the buttons to shift down into a lower gear, all the while preventing over revving, minimizing emissions output and maintaining fuel efficiency. That’s not to say that the electronic brain under the hood of your car has its way, all of the time. By “mapping” a variety of performance-affecting conditions (such as engine RPM, vehicle speed, throttle position, engine temperature, air temperature, and more), the algorithms built into the vehicle’s engine-management system can determine the optimum time to shift, while simultaneously controlling other factors to keep the engine healthy and efficient. Control also makes it easier to predict and prevent warranty claims caused by driver behavior. The reason they want control is to make good on their promise to regulators that their vehicles will meet fuel mileage and emissions requirements. The standard, garden-variety slushbox is loved by auto manufacturers for one simple reason: it gives them a considerable measure of control over the manner in which your vehicle is operated. Far and away, the most common transmission today is the conventional torque-converter-equipped automatic.
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