Disputes over automatic and manual transmissions have been going on for more than a decade. And the participants in these disputes are not only motorists, but also those who do not have their own car, but consider themselves a connoisseur of everything related to cars.
The main arguments of opponents of mechanics are tediousness with frequent gear changes and frequent operation of the clutch pedal and too rapid wear of this clutch. The main arguments of the opponents of the machine are that electronics often include a completely wrong gear that the driver needs, the high cost of repairs and increased fuel consumption.
Advantages of automatic transmissions
In our country, cars with automatic transmissions available to the middle class appeared 15-20 years ago. During this time, the share of machines on the market approached 50%, which indicates their popularity among the population. In European countries, only 25-30% of cars are sold with manual transmissions. And in the United States, automation has long been considered the main type of transmission on cars. According to statistics, only 5% of Americans know how to handle a manual transmission - these are mainly truckers and professional athletes.
In all developed countries, the manual transmission is gradually becoming a thing of the past. They are replaced by automatic machines, robots and variators. As they improve, they acquire more advantages and get rid of disadvantages.
First of all, women, novice drivers, connoisseurs of comfort, residents of big cities, who often have to stand in traffic jams, "vote" for the machine. It is the convenience of driving, which the automatic transmission provides, that is especially important for them.
However, many professionals do not want to change mechanics to automatic for a reason. In many driving situations, a manual transmission allows you to better feel the car, better overcome obstacles, better take turns in a controlled drift and other non-standard and extreme cases. Considering that in the Russian realities extreme often becomes a harsh necessity, their arguments have to be taken into account. For example, the easiest way to get a stuck car out is to swing it out. And on most machines, this technique is impossible. To be fair: this does not apply to robotic gearboxes - it is even easier to swing on them than on cars with manual transmissions.
Disadvantages of automatic transmissions
The automatic transmission of a small car prevents it from being towed without hanging the drive wheels. Otherwise, it is fraught with the failure of the box and the subsequent replacement of this unit. Automatic machines of full-size SUVs, pickups and vans, as well as robotic boxes, can be towed without any serious restrictions.
The cost of a car with an automatic transmission is significantly more expensive than its analogue with a manual transmission. The same can be said for repair and maintenance. Buying an inexpensive car with a gun is an even worse decision. Cheap cars are equipped with an automatic transmission made in China, which breaks down immediately after the warranty expires. The same can be said about buying a used car with an automatic transmission - the previous owner could completely ruin the box by improper operation.
The truth, as always, is in the middle. Modern automatic transmissions have manual modes, the ability to brake with the engine, etc. Fuel consumption differs so insignificantly that only professionals at special landfills are able to identify it. A high-quality automatic transmission, with proper operation, is as reliable and durable as a mechanical one.
The robotic transmission consists of a clutch and a manual transmission. But they are controlled by electronics by means of electromagnetic drives for switching on and off mechanisms
In addition, robotic gearboxes (DSG), which are more similar in design to manual transmissions than to traditional automatic transmissions, combine the advantages of both and do not have similar disadvantages.
