How much longer can you stick with a manual transmission?
Release Date:
2019-02-26
Author:
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Abstract
With the New Year just behind us, many of us are probably still basking in the post‑Spring Festival “eat‑and‑wait‑for‑it‑to‑be‑over” vibe—when suddenly we’re tasked with writing a technical article that’s also easy for everyone to understand. At that moment, the familiar refrain “Snowflakes are drifting, the north wind is howling…” echoes through our minds.
After much deliberation, I’ve decided to start with something simple. The main reason is certainly not “laziness,” but rather the need to keep things clear and easy to understand.
Do you still remember the last time you drove a car with a manual transmission? Well, perhaps the only time you ever shifted gears manually was in the driving school’s practice vehicle.
Of course, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve never driven a manual transmission, since most models on the market today no longer offer it as an option.
When it comes to car preferences, Japan’s “Big Three” — Toyota, Honda, and Nissan — along with America’s “A-Tong” (General Motors) and “A-Fu” (Ford), as well as those who loudly proclaim, “We’ll beat the Alto to a pulp—” the car The “moon” brands from abroad, such as Volkswagen, have long enjoyed a lofty status in the minds of the working class. These joint-venture automakers still offer a limited number of manual transmissions in the compact‑car segment, but otherwise stick exclusively to automatics.
It’s understandable that some Chinese consumers are fond of joint‑venture and imported cars. However, as the automotive industry has grown rapidly, domestic manufacturers have also entered the automatic transmission market. Although China’s in‑house development of automatic transmissions is still relatively recent and not all companies have yet achieved particularly impressive results, domestically produced vehicles equipped with such transmissions offer excellent value for money.
The reason automatic transmissions are increasingly favored by consumers boils down to the convenience and safety they offer—though, as everyone knows, China’s road conditions are a matter of personal opinion.
Many experts and car enthusiasts have debated which is safer: a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission or one with an automatic transmission.
Although everyone has their own arguments, in my personal view, modern vehicles equipped with a surveillance system, capable of actively assisting the driver, and featuring an automatic transmission are safer than those with manual transmissions.
Some institutions have conducted research in this area, using monitoring systems to record and analyze drivers’ behavior. Their findings revealed that drivers operating manual‑transmission vehicles experience significantly higher levels of stress, whereas drivers of automatic‑transmission cars exhibit stress levels roughly comparable to those of passengers—results that are indeed rather surprising.
Meanwhile, they also measured drivers’ reaction times and driving behaviors in both manual‑transmission and automatic‑transmission vehicles, with test participants divided into older and younger groups. The results showed that, across both transmission types, the older group committed more driving errors than the younger group. However, automatic transmissions appear to help improve driving performance among older drivers, when we… 70 Even at that age—after all, in our country, driver’s licenses are valid until 70—we can still feel the thrill of speeding along—paying tribute to our restless hearts.
Manual fuel-saving, automatic fuel-wasting?
In addition to being used in certain high-horsepower models, automakers must comply with each country’s regulations on fuel efficiency and harmful emissions. Automatic transmissions can precisely control the vehicle’s engine, maximizing fuel savings while, for example, 8、9 Even 10 Speedy transmissions (Cadillac CT6 The latest version is 10 Speed AT Oh), they can deliver fuel efficiency that rivals—or even surpasses—that of a manual transmission, and every gear shift is exceptionally smooth.
Installing nearly identical transmissions across almost all vehicles can significantly reduce average fuel consumption and emissions, making it one of the key objectives every automaker must achieve.
They say they want it, but their body is very honest.
Many people say they want a manual transmission and even express nostalgia for it, but very few actually end up buying one.
Volkswagen spokesperson Mark Gillie He once remarked, “Many buyers are clamoring for a manual‑transmission model, yet they’ve never actually followed through. The Tiguan previously offered a manual version, but almost no one bought it.”
Ferrari’s Head of Product Marketing Nicola Boari It was also mentioned that, due to “near-zero demand,” they halted production of all manual transmissions. Although many people have voiced criticism of Ferrari over this decision, when you think about it… 600 of horsepower Portofino Pressing the clutch and shifting gears—such a scene is simply hard to imagine. Very few people could pull it off. D Inside, Takumi’s skill—driving a manual transmission—perfectly outclasses the God of War. GTR 。
Although manual transmissions can deliver plenty of driving fun, the reality is that automatics now outperform them in terms of shift speed, responsiveness, performance, and ride comfort.
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