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The end of the manual transmission is near?

popularmechanics.com

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Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#481

Post by accountofme »

AlexandrB wrote: post #299
Retric wrote: post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You asked why, and the answer is cost vs benefit. Car styling alone doesn’t justify the risk to pedestrians, large truck utility can. Yes, this tradeoff kills people, but so do all sorts of things like not physically preventing cars from driving 80+MPH.

This is a non answer. Australia has a vehicle style commonly referred to as a "ute"[1]. I think it stand for "utility". Which is basically a car with a truck bed in the back. This provides many of the advantages of a pickup without the increased danger to pedestrians. Why are car companies not marketing/selling these to the average consumer instead of the monster RAMs and F150s? I suspect the reason has everything to…

We did. From what I can see ford and holden utes aren't made anymore...

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#482

Post by DoingIsLearning »

My first car was a very old and rusty Fiat Uno. The car wasn't particularly safe but it was made remarkably more dangerous with my teenager stupidity and lack of restraint.

My point is that manual transmissions actually made a lot of sense in cars without ABS and drum brakes. Learning to brake with a gearbox was a life saving skill with those cars.

Nowadays none of this applies with ABS and ESP/ESC and indeed MT is likely to become a relic, specially with the rollout of EVs.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#483

Post by _ph_ »

iancmceachern wrote: post #121
rjzzleep wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You need a lot more mining and environmental destruction to get enough batteries for replacing all cars with electric vehicles. Kind of wondering if maybe one day we could have safe micro reactors that can power vehicles.

And as they say, the most environmentally friendly car is the one you already own.

While that is often true, it isn't always the case. If you are using a lot of gas (driving a lot, high consumption), replacing it with an electric car can very quickly be more environmental friendly. If you are not using a lot of gas, like only driving your car infrequently, keeping your old car running might be better though.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#484

Post by cryptonym »

dagw wrote: post #423
ciconia wrote: post #351

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> now automatic transmissions are so much more efficient than manual transmissions * for ordinary people *. Efficient in what way? I find it highly unlikely an automatic would have better fuel economy than a manual.

I find it highly unlikely an automatic would have better fuel economy than a manual. I saw a study from, I think it was Volvo, that basically concluded that while trained drivers focusing on driving efficiently could get better fuel economy out of a manual, 'normal' people driving normally got better fuel efficiency out of an automatic. And this was a good 10 years ago, so automatics have only gotten better.

Training on manual cars also improved last 10 years. Don't know about other countries but here fuel economy is a mandatory part of training. Recent manual cars provide indicators on when to switch. You can combine that signal and training for better fuel economy. TBH, I don't know how that compares with automatic.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#485

Post by _ph_ »

To me, this headline comes at least 10 years to late. For two reasons. First of all, even with ICE cars, manual transmissions become more and more rare. Even traditional sports car companies in most models usually rather offer a double-clutch transmission.

But obviously, the end of all gear-shifting is near, as most electric cars only have a fixed transmission ratio, so never shift gears. We really need to switch all new car production to electric, it should be quite apparent why, especially as large parts of the world went through extreme heats again this year.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#486

Post by kuhewa »

bambax wrote: post #399
Retric wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s more than just about style. As much as modern pickup trucks have become a fashion statement, many large pickup trucks are providing real utility to construction, farming, etc. And much like 18 wheelers they can’t scale down the front while maintaining utility because they need large engines and high ground clearance.

> As much as modern pickup trucks have become a fashion statement Pickup trucks are the opposite of fashion. There are to cars what Crocs are to shoes.

Crocs were very much a fashion trend in 2021.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#487

Post by randomdata »

jgwil2 wrote: post #29

They're more fun to drive if you're driving for fun, but most people aren't and commuting in heavy traffic in a manual transmission car sucks. I am sure manuals will live on for a relatively small group of hobbyists, but there's not a lot of reason for the vast majority of drivers to use them.

> They're more fun to drive if you're driving for fun

I've always preferred a good CVT when it comes to fun. There's nothing like being snapped from 0-100 with no pause in the action. And the scream of a hydrostatic on a 30,000 pound combine is a treat. Manuals might be more fun than your average slush box, but in the grand scheme of things...

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#488

Post by wil421 »

euroderf wrote: post #451
Fire-Dragon-DoL wrote: post #390

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are many techniques to start uphill. In Italy the driving test is on manual transmission and many people use manual. I trained in Rome, parking on the left side downhill (so backward is uphill), it was tough, but learned a lot of tricks in the process to prevent stalling. You also become very attuned to the clutch I do love manual transmission, but the purpose is to have fun, not for daily usage.

Yes the clutch becomes your BFF. But can you really say that a manual is not for daily use ? It certainly helps when dealing with ice & snow.

I’m doubting the person in Italy has a need for ice and snow driving.

Where I am it might snow or ice once a year. However I do own an SUV that has a snow mode. It starts in second to avoid spinning the wheels and will let you manually cycle through the 8 speeds if you want.

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#489

Post by djxfade »

_ph_ wrote: post #485

To me, this headline comes at least 10 years to late. For two reasons. First of all, even with ICE cars, manual transmissions become more and more rare. Even traditional sports car companies in most models usually rather offer a double-clutch transmission. But obviously, the end of all gear-shifting is near, as most electric cars only have a fixed transmission ratio, so never shift gears. We really need to switch all…

In Europe, automatic transmission only really got mainstream in the past decade or so. Yes we have had cars that are fully automatic, but that would be more of the high end cards. Most small consumer cars usually was (and still is) manual

Re: The end of the manual transmission is near?

#490

Post by domh »

capableweb wrote: post #478
domh wrote: post #466

I always found it strange how people in the UK prefer driving manual transmissions, there's always talk of liking the "feeling" and "control" when driving, this is coming from people who are not enthusiasts and don't even like driving sometimes. 90% of driving tests in the UK are done in manual transmission cars[1]. Taking your driving test in an automatic means that you are not allowed to drive a manual[2]. After li…

Im not from/in the UK or US, but not sure that matters. I also prefer manual transmission. As my car is currently in the shop for repair, I have a borrowed car from the shop, who has automatic transmission instead of manual. It's true that it takes less effort to drive. Easier to drive by just using one leg and easier to use one arm. But the loss of control is real, at least for me. One example is moving from zero to…

I think this is largely dependent on the car, which is a pro for manual transmission (the consistency and sensitivity when driving). I personally prefer the less sensitive automatics because it's better for fuel economy. In my car, switching to Eco mode helps with this.
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