Taking test in automatic car - can you drive semi-automatics

Gloomendoom

Arklight wrote: »

As fossil fuel engines are phased out there won't even be gear ratios in the engines.

Are there even gear ratios in the engines now?

barbiedoll

I don’t want to go all SJW on you OP, but who are these “family members”, who think that your daughter won’t be able to cope with a clutch and gear stick? Would they say the same to a male relative?

There is this perception that (some) women will only ever be able to drive an automatic car, I’m not really sure why. I learned to drive when I was 46, and I can tell your daughter that using a clutch is the easy part. Coping with idiots who don’t indicate, who tailgate, who cut in front of you, etc, etc, is the hard stuff that she’ll have to deal with on a daily basis. I’ve got dreadful hand/eye coordination but my clutch control is “legendary” according to my mechanic, who stalled my Kia Picanto 7 times because the clutch was so “horrible” (and that was a 2 year old car!)

Using a clutch is mostly muscle memory. If you have a car, you should be getting her to practise using the clutch, and where the gears are. My husband used to sit our son on his lap and get him to go through the gears from a very young age (not on the road!)

Automatics are lovely to drive and are definitely the way that cars are going in the future. But don’t limit your daughter to driving one now, she’s going to have a much wider range of vehicles to choose from if she can drive a manual car.

Gloomendoom

If the car can change gear without input from the driver, it's an automatic.

It doesn't matter by what means the different ratios are selected.

AnotherJoe

Hermione_Granger wrote: »

I'm sure that you're right but this doesn't mean that people who drive now shouldn't know the basics of how to control their vehicles in whatever situations they may find themselves in.

If they only drive in autos, knowing how to control the clutch is somewhat pointless let alone when that is on the verge of being as useful a skill as using a starting handle,. Even with manuals these days many of the skills such as hill start etc have been eclipsed by technology assist, and using the clutch is just another one that's close to obsolescence.

I've never understood the concept of dumping learners in the deep end with a manual transmission, surely better to start with the basics of road position , anticipation , signalling and steering without the ridiculous additional distractions of the clutch. Move on to a clutch later if you feel the need.

And whilst knowledge of using a clutch might have been relevant even 5 years ago, the writing is clearly on the wall for its demise. Try buying a manual in 10 years time. Try finding one in 20.

AnotherJoe

Hermione_Granger wrote: »

If someone lacks co-ordination then how can they safely perform manoeuvres such as multi-point turns where they may have to move from drive to reverse and back again a couple of times very quickly?

Self evidently they can perform that quicker and easier if they don't additionally have to faff about with a clutch

Hermione_Granger wrote: »

and if they don't understand the basics of how a car engine and gearbox operate, would they have any idea of if & when they should manually select a low gear on the selector?

I am old enough to recall cars with a "choke" and I can imagine people making the argument that it was necessary to understand how compression and ignition worked before using one, and that wasn't true then, and in any case automatic chokes and fuel injection made that obsolete.

And before syncromesh gearboxes, you had to double declutch. And again no doubt the same arguments were made you need to understand how it works to use it and "learn how to double declutch first, you never know when you'll need it".
Well, the departure of the clutch is no different to syncromesh.

It's time is nearing, the bell is tolling.

Farewell clutch and gears, we will not miss you.

neilmcl

AnotherJoe wrote: »

Self evidently they can perform that quicker and easier if they don't additionally have to faff about with a clutch

I would disagree on that point. In my experience a manual car is so much easier and quicker in situations with multiple gear changes between first and reverse than an auto.

James2k

.......eh?

oldagetraveller

sevenhills wrote: »

That is my experience with numerous Renault semi-automatics. We had numerous work vehicles that were semi-auto, I was a very steady driver and my vehicle was the last one to break down.
Every vehicle had gearbox issues, apart from that our Renaults were great.

I did own a Yaris, with the MMT, which will be the same as that fitted to the Aygo. I don't know if they still use it in the Aygo but Toyota must have learned from their mistake and the Yaris now has a CVT (called Multidrive). I took a financial hit and replaced the MMT Yaris with a CVT Yaris after only 3.5 years of ownership. I know there are CVT "haters" but each to their own.
The MMT would have been covered by the 5 years warranty but it was such a poor and unpredictable driving experience I had to get rid.
When they eventually break, which they do, it is very, very expensive for repairs.
I would still advise the O.P. to not buy an Aygo - if it is fitted with the MMT.:)

Gloomendoom

AnotherJoe wrote: »

Farewell clutch and gears, we will not miss you.

Hear, hear!

I went auto in 1991 and since then have managed to convert all my siblings, my parents and most of my aunts and uncles. My wife held out until last year but finally got fed up with me moaning every time I had to drive her car.

I do own an old car that requires me to double declutch when I change gear and I must admit that I do quite enjoy the challenge. I don't have to drive it every day though.

neilmcl

James2k wrote: »

.......eh?

Having problems?