Electrification in the automobile sector is taking with it one of the elements that has been with us practically all our lives: the manual transmission. For many people it is not a very serious problem, since an automatic car is actually more comfortable to drive. But for those who long for the sensations of a manual transmission, it marks the end of an era. Or not?
Maybe is not completely lost. There are manufacturers that have been exploring the idea of developing for some time. transmissions with a virtual manual shift in electric vehicles. Some of the manufacturers that have contributed the most in this direction have been firms like Toyota or Subaruwho seem unwilling to give up one of the driving experiences most valued by motoring enthusiasts (and by many other ordinary people who have driven all their lives).
Is the virtual now the authentic? A few days ago, the people at CarBuzz echoed that Subaru had registered a patent in the United States for a fully simulated manual transmission system in electric cars. The design includes both an H-pattern shifter and a clutch pedal, although neither would be mechanically connected to anything. Instead, they use sensors that detect the position of each element and transmit that information to the vehicle’s computer, which adjusts the engine torque according to the selected “gear” and the pressure on the accelerator and clutch.
Why is it relevant? Electric cars do without traditional transmissions because their engines deliver 100% of the torque from zero revolutions. This makes the gearboxes unnecessary from a technical point of view, but it also eliminates this element that has been with us forever and that endures as a sign of much more active control of the car.
Manufacturers like Toyota and Subaru are convinced that there is a niche market willing to pay to recover that feeling, even if it is artificial.
Toyota already has a working prototype. The idea is not new for the group. Toyota has been working on this concept for years and already has an operational prototype based on an electric Lexus UX 300e. According to InsideEVs, which could test it in 2023the experience ends up being surprisingly realistic. At the time, the vehicle featured simulated six-speed shifts, artificial engine sounds, and even replicated the characteristic jerk when shifting gears.
In fact, from the middle they counted that the system allowed the car to “stall” if you did not press the clutch correctly and also simulated engine braking when downshifting. Best of all, the prototype allowed these types of functions to be activated and deactivated with a single switch, allowing the driver to choose between manual mode or conventional electric operation.
What Subaru has come up with. Subaru’s patent goes a step further in this regard, as it incorporates a “hard start suppression device” that replicates the safety system of traditional manual cars, causing the vehicle to only start if the clutch pedal is fully depressed.
Interestingly, the system is designed to activate manual mode by default every time the car is started, regardless of which mode it was left in previously. According to describe CarBuzz, this decision seems to seek to prevent the driver from forgetting which mode they left the vehicle in, although it is striking that manual mode is the default option.
The connection between both brands. That Subaru patents a system practically identical to the prototype that Toyota already has running makes perfect sense, since Subaru is part of the Toyota group and collaborates closely with the brand in the development of electric vehicles, as demonstrated by the Subaru Solterra and its sister models.
It is possible that the idea of both manufacturers is to develop a sports model that has this type of virtual manual transmission systems. It does not mean that we see this system in all their vehicles, but in those with a more performance focus.
More options on the way. Just like account CarBuzz, Hyundai and Kia have also taken the first step with eight-speed simulated transmission systems in models like the Ioniq 5N and the EV6 GT, although without a clutch pedal. On the other hand, Honda also offers eight fake “gears” in the new Prelude. However, none of those mentioned comes close to the level that Toyota or Subaru aspire to achieve with their systems. We will see if commercial models with this system finally arrive and if there is demand for them.
Cover image | CHUTTERSNAP
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