Usually in North America vehicles use automatic transmission. People in these countries don’t like, buying manual gearboxes anymore but on the other hand, in automatic options, there’s never been a great choice offered to buyers. People can only choose from a Continuously Variable Transmission, Conventional automatic with torque converters and now after years of research and other options of dual clutch transmission.
Even though choices are limited but scaling from good and better is still available. Carmakers are trying to promote DSG (direct-shift gearbox) or dual clutch automatic manuals in mass-market. It’s seems that CVTs are performing very well and will be the choice of future as they save more fuel.
Automatic Gearbox
Conventional gearboxes need some time to make their place in the bunch of 10-speed gearboxes. 6-speed gearboxes are standard today but a decade ago there were only 4-speed gearboxes. CVT is clearly winning the race and leading the other two options.
The DSGs are already on the edge of failing out of favour such as Chrysler is dropping its dual clutch auto on several models. Ford engines have faced criticism for driveability issues with its six speed DSG PowerShift transmission, but DSG is the perfect solution for automatic gearbox problem.
In today’s car market, more than 10 percent vehicles are equipped with CVTs. The automakers that utilise this technology have minimised the margin of error and at the same time maximise fuel economy. If you have ever driven a dual clutch equipped car in city areas where idle is more than the go, CVT transmissions perform well and never give you the feeling of constantly slipping clutches on the go.
