Learn to Drive an Automatic

Dual controlled automatic learner car

Automatic drive selector

Automatic over view

Briefly, driving an automatic car means you don’t have to worry about changing gears or engaging/disengaging a clutch.  The gear selector has several positions, but once it is set in ‘D’ for ‘drive’, the automatic gearbox will select the right gear at the right time, this allows the driver more time to concentrate on the traffic, route planning  and journey.

Benefits an Automatic

• Automatic cars don’t stall. The car has a hydraulically operated clutch that automatically engages when the accelerator is pushed down (smooth pulling away)  and disengages before stopping, thus preventing the car from stalling.
• Hill Starts Made Easy, this is because hill starts are done for you via a phenomenon known as “Idle creep”.  With nearly all true automatics, the engine at idle (tick-over) moves the car slowly forwards, this is easily controlled by the foot brake. The small amount of pull created is enough to prevent the car from rolling back on small to medium gradients.
• Maneuvering Made Easy, this is also due to the phenomenon known as “Idle creep”.  This can be very useful when maneuvering the car, and/or for easing forward at junctions where visibility is obstructed by parked vehicles, trees, hedges etc.
• Automatics of the past have been stigmatized, however with new technology, this opinion is changing as drivers now appreciate the sheer ease, control and fun of driving the latest DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox). The DSG is an automatic with a manual override (by means of paddles on the steering wheel – just like a formula one racing car) and gives a transmission for all occasions and moods.

Fuel Economy

The newer types of automatic transmissions have the same or (or if not) better fuel economy than a manual car. This has been a major factor in the popularity of automatics in the UK. In the future it is assumed that most new cars will be automatic as the new hybrids and electric cars have only two pedals and no need for a gearbox or clutch.