Once considered to be a noble fitting, automatic transmissions were not easily accessible to a regular car buyer.
TORQUE CONVERTOR / TRADITIONAL AUTOMATIC
Commonly used in Mahindra XUV 500 and Tata Hexa, this is the most common and widely used transmissions that can be found in every car today. This transmission uses a torque convertor to do the job of changing gears. The ECU (engine control unit) is directly connected to this system, thus, allowing for smoother and precise engine control.
AUTOMATED-MANUAL TRANSMISSION (AMT)
Transmission can be found in cars like Maruti Alto, Renault Duster and some affluent models like Fiat Abarth 595 and some older Ferraris. Good fuel efficiency and low cost make this the most ideal transmissions. The system is a regular clutch and gear configuration. But makes use of sensors, processors to pretend a manual gear change.
CONTINUOUS VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT)
Nissan Micra, Maruti Baleno, Honda City and Jazz are equipped with this transmission. Honda now offers CVT with paddle shifters on the City models. This transmission uses belts or pullets instead of traditional gears. The transmission also allows smooth gear shifts with various ratios depending on the engine, thus, allowing for maximum efficiency and continuous speeding. The only drawback is the engine noise is loud.
DUAL-CLUTCH TRANSMISSIONS (DCT)
From Volkswagen Polo GT TSI, Skoda Rapid, Ford Figo to Lamborghini Huracan, Audi R8 V10 Plus and McLaren 720S are all equipped with a DCT transmission. The transmission is a set of both an automatic and manual transmission with no torque convertor. A DCT Transmission uses two separate shafts with its own clutches for faster gear changes. One shaft is meant for odd number gears while the other shaft is meant for even numbered gears.
DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX (DSG)
This type of transmission can be found in the likes of Nissan GT-R, BMW 3 Series and Ferrari California. It uses a similar set up in comparison to the dual-clutch transmission. It uses a dual clutch system that disengages consecutively during changing gears. This makes shifting faster and much smoother. This is a wet transmission and can give tremendous service as long as fluid is changed at regular intervals.
