When we get in a modern car and move the selector to position DriveWe seldom think about the colossal path of engineering that preceded this simple movement. The question of who created the box machine, worries not only historians of technology, but also everyone who appreciates the comfort of driving. It is hard to believe, but the idea to save the driver from the constant switching of the lever and the clutch pedal originated at the dawn of the automotive industry, when the cars more resembled bulky wagons with engines.
The path to full-fledged machine-gun It was long and thorny, littered with failed experiments and brilliant insights. The first attempts to automate the process of gearshift began almost simultaneously with the mass introduction of mechanical transmissions. Engineers were looking for ways to transfer torque from the engine to the wheels without direct human involvement in gear ratio selection.
Initially, the concept was based on the use of planetary mechanisms that allowed to change the speed of rotation of the shaft without breaking the power flow. This became the foundation on which all the classic hydromechanical transmissions were built. However, for the device to become truly automatic, it lacked the main thing – a control system that would make decisions about switching.
Many people mistakenly believe that automatic transmission is the invention of one particular person who worked alone in a garage. In fact, it is the result of an evolution that involved dozens of design bureaus and engineers from different countries. From simple semi-automatics to complex electronic systems, each step of development has brought us closer to the comforts we take for granted today.
The origin of the idea: from mechanics to semi-automatic
In the early XX century, driving a car required not only attention on the road, but also significant physical effort. It was necessary to constantly squeeze the heavy clutch pedal and manually switch gears, which often did not have synchronizers. These difficulties have prompted engineers to find a solution that will simplify the interaction of man with the machine. The first signs were the systems we would call today. robotic or semi-automatic.
One of the first successful implementations was the system implemented by the company. Oldsmobile It was in 1908, but it was not a full-fledged machine. It used a planetary gear controlled by pedals, which allowed you to change speeds without using a lever in the usual sense. However, the breakthrough came later when engineers began experimenting with vacuum and hydraulic actuators to control the mechanical box.
In the 1920s, the company Reo introduced the transmission Reo Self-ShifterWhich was an important step forward. This device automatically switched gears from second to fourth, but the first gear and reverse required manual switching. Despite the limitations, this was the first time a car could choose the optimal gear ratio depending on the speed of the journey.
- 🚗 The first attempts at automation began in the 1900s with the use of planetary mechanisms.
- ⚙️ System system Reo Self-Shifter (1933) became the first mass-produced semi-automatic, although it required manual switching on the first gear.
- 🔧 Vacuum actuators were used to automatically turn off the clutch, which facilitated the driver's work in traffic jams.
It is important to understand that there was no single concept in the early stages. hydrotransformer. Engineers relied on mechanical clutches and centrifugal clutches, which were often unreliable and required frequent tuning. However, the demand for simplification of driving has grown along with the growing popularity of cars among the general population.
The Starter Brothers and the Birth of Hydromechanics
If you look for the specific names of those who created the box of the machine in its modern sense, then you can not forget to mention the brothers Oscar and Oliver Starters. These are the talented engineers who worked for the company. General MotorsIn the 1930s, the first fully automatic transmission was developed. Hydra-Matic. Their invention was revolutionary, as it combined four stages of forward movement and hydraulic drive control.
The uniqueness of the brothers’ development was the complete absence of a mechanical connection between the accelerator pedal and gear shifting. All decisions were made by the hydraulic system, which reacts to the engine load and the speed of the car. This completely eliminated the need for manual switching and use of the clutch pedal. In 1940. Hydra-Matic It was first installed on the brand cars OldsmobileThis is the beginning of the era of real machines.
⚠️ Attention: Early versions Hydra-Matic They were known for their tendency to switch abruptly, which earned them the nickname "Hydra-Jerk". Owners had to adjust to the operation of the box, slightly releasing gas at the time of the change of gear.
The popularity of the new transmission grew rapidly. During World War II, technology Hydra-Matic It was used in military equipment, which proved its reliability in extreme conditions. After the war, automatic transmissions began to appear on civilian cars, turning from luxury to the standard for comfortable driving.
The Starter Brothers actually laid the principles of work that are used in classic automatic transmissions until now. Their system included a hydrotransformer (although the first versions used a hydraulic coupling) and a planetary series. The combination of these elements allowed to achieve smoothness and the ability to move from a place without jerking, which was not available for mechanical analogues of the time.
When buying an old car with automatic transmission, be sure to check the history of oil change. Older Hydra-Matic boxes used specific liquids, and using modern ATFs can cause frictions to slip.
Evolution of design: from three stages to eight
After the appearance of the first successful models, engineers did not stop there. The race for the number of gears, smoothness of switches and fuel economy began. If the first machines had only two or three gears, then modern units can have nine or more stages. This allowed to significantly expand the range of operation of the engine and reduce fuel consumption.
In the 1950s, the company Chrysler I presented my version of the machine. PowerFliteand then the three-stage TorqueFlite. These boxes were highly reliable and became a benchmark for the American automotive industry. In parallel, Europe and Japan were developing their own gearboxes, which were designed to create more compact and efficient transmissions suitable for smaller cars.
A key element of evolution has been the introduction of electronic management. While early models relied solely on hydraulic pressure, the advent of computers allowed the development of a new model. electrohydraulic control systems. The control unit (TCU) began to receive data from sensors of speed, throttle position and temperature, choosing the optimal moment for switching.
| The DIG generation | Period | Number of gears | Type of management |
|---|---|---|---|
| The first (Hydra-Matic) | 1940s | 4 | hydraulic |
| The second (Turbo-Hydramatic) | 1960s | 3 | hydraulic |
| Third (Electronic) | 1980s | 4 | Electro-hydraulic |
| Modern. | 2010s to A.D. | 8-10 | Digital adaptive |
Modern gearboxes are able to adapt to the driving style of the driver. Algorithms analyze the sharpness of pressing the gas pedal and the frequency of switching, adjusting the transmission. This made driving even more comfortable and allowed to implement various modes of operation, such as "Sport", "Eco" or "Winter".
Alternative paths: Variators and robots
While classical hydromechanical automatics were being improved, engineers were looking for alternative ways to solve the problem of torque transmission. One of these alternatives was variator (CVT). The idea of a continuously variable transmission is not new: the first patents for variators were obtained in the late XIX century, but in the automotive industry they began to be applied much later.
The principle of operation of the variator differs from the classical automatic machine by the absence of fixed gears. Instead of gears, two conical pulleys and a belt (or chain) are used here. By changing the diameter of the pulleys, the system smoothly changes the gear ratio, ensuring the engine works in the optimal speed range. This gives a stunning smoothness of the course, but is often accompanied by a characteristic hum of the engine during acceleration.
The other direction became gearbox (AMT/DSG). In fact, it is a mechanical transmission in which the clutch work and the switching of plugs are controlled by servo drives or hydraulics. This solution allowed to combine fuel economy mechanics with the comfort of the machine. The first mass-produced cars with this type of transmission were some models of Italian and French manufacturers in the late 90s.
Why is the variator buzzing?
Unlike automatic transmissions, where the gears are switched in stages, the CVR constantly keeps the engine speed at the level of maximum power or efficiency during acceleration. This creates a sense of “hang” of speeds and monotonous sound, which many drivers mistakenly take for a malfunction.
Each type of transmission has its advantages and disadvantages. The classic automatic is reliable and predictable, the CVT is economical and smooth, and the robot is fast and efficient. The choice depends on the driver’s priorities and the vehicle’s operating conditions.
The impact of automatic transmission on the automotive industry
The emergence and mass distribution of automatic transmission radically changed the automotive market. In the US, by the 1960s, more than 80% of new cars were sold with automatic transmissions. This made driving accessible to a much wider range of people, including those who, for physical reasons, could not control the mechanics.
Automation of the transmission also affected safety. The driver can focus on the road situation without being distracted by constant manipulation of the lever and pedals. This is especially true in conditions of dense urban traffic, where frequent stops and starts on the mechanics cause severe fatigue.
However, the introduction of automatic machines required a change in the design of the cars. It was necessary to increase the size of the under-hood space to accommodate the bulky unit, revise the cooling system and change the gear ratios of the main pair. All this led to an increase in the cost of production, but the consumer was willing to pay for comfort.
- 📈 The share of automatic transmission cars in the United States reached 80% by 1960.
- 🚦 Automatic transmission significantly reduced driver fatigue in urban conditions.
- 🛠️ The introduction of automatic transmission required a revision of the engine layout and the cooling system of the car.
⚠️ Warning: When operating a vehicle with automatic transmission in hot climates or when towing heavy loads, it is critically important to monitor the temperature of the transmission fluid. Overheating is the main enemy of automatic boxes, leading to the destruction of frictions.
Current state and future of transmissions
Today we are witnessing an interesting paradox: while classic automatic machines reach perfection with 9-10 gears, electric cars come to the scene, which do not need a transmission in the traditional sense at all. The electric motor has a wide range of revolutions and high torque from the start, which allows you to do with a single-stage gearbox.
However, for cars with internal combustion engines, automatic transmission remains an uncontested standard of comfort. Modern systems use artificial intelligence to predict the actions of the driver. Cameras and radars scan the road ahead, and the gearbox prepares the desired gear before turning or climbing.
Engineers continue to work to reduce friction losses inside the hydraulic transformer and increase efficiency. New materials for friction discs and more efficient pumps are being introduced. The future is probably for hybrid circuits, where the electric motor will compensate for thrust failures when switching gears of the ICE.
☑️ Checking the status of the automatic transmission before buying
The creation of automatic transmission is not the merit of one inventor, but the result of many years of work of engineers, from the Starter brothers to modern developers of adaptive systems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is considered the inventor of the first automatic transmission?
Although many engineers contributed, it was brothers Oscar and Oliver Starters who worked in the field. General MotorsThe first mass-produced fully automatic transmission Hydra-Matic 1939-1940. It became the prototype for all modern classical automata.
Is it true that the variator was invented before the classical automaton?
The CVT principle has been known since the late nineteenth century (Dimler’s 1886 patent), but it came to the mass automotive industry much later than the classical hydromechanical automatic transmissions due to problems with the reliability of belts and the complexity of control.
Can I tow a car with an automatic transmission?
Towing a car with an automatic transmission is possible, but with serious restrictions. It is usually allowed to tow over a distance of no more than 50 km at speeds up to 40-50 km / h. Failure to comply with these rules may fail the oil pump box, as it works only with the engine running.
How often should you change the oil in the automatic box?
Despite the claims of manufacturers that the oil is poured "for the entire life", experts recommend changing the transmission fluid every 60,000 - 80,000 km of run. This significantly prolongs the life of frictions and hydroblock.
Why was the switching felt stronger on older cars?
Early automatic transmissions were controlled only by hydraulic pressure without electronics. They could not smoothly adjust the pressure in real time when switching, which led to tangible tremors ("kicks"), especially when frictions were worn.