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Why learn in an Automatic? Automatic vehicles have no clutch to operate and no gears to change; this makes driving much easier and allow you more time to concentrate on what is going on around you.
Five reasons why AFM driver training might be right for you: 1. Have you had problems and difficulty learning to drive? 2. Have you already failed one or more tests and lost
confidence 3.Struggling to observe, manage clutch control,
and change gear approaching junctions? Residential Automatic courses in Pontefract now available : AFM will find you reasonably priced accommodation in or near to Pontefract, one of our instructors will pick you up each day from your accommodation give you a day of quality instruction and then drop you back at your accommodation at the end of your day and because all our instructors are local they can advise you on local attractions so you can also enjoy your evenings (just stay off the booze)! TO DISCUSS YOUR TAILORED DRIVING PLAN CALL OR TEXT YOUR LOCAL FULLY QUALIFIED DSA APPROVED INSTRUCTOR ON NUMBER BELOW: 07590825009 or Go to contact page.
Areas covered include: Castleford, Pontefract, Featherstone, Knottingley Also Covering: Leeds and Wakefield DRIVING AN AUTOMATIC CAR |
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Traditionally driving an automatic car has never been as popular as
driving a manual car. This has been for three reasons: automatic cars give
less precise control over gear selection, they consume more fuel and they are
more expensive to buy. However automatic transmissions are becoming
increasingly more sophisticated and economical. In fact the evolution of the
In a car with manual transmission the driver decides when to change gear and does so by pressing the clutch pedal down and then selecting the desired gear by moving the gear stick. In a automatic car the gear change is made automatically. When the transmission is put into Drive (D) the car will automatically select the correct gear according to the load on the engine and the road speed. Because of this automatics have only two pedals - the accelerator and the brake. Semi-automatic transmissions are becoming increasingly popular. These have
a manual gear shift, giving the driver control over gear selection,
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Ensure the gear lever is in Park (P) and that your foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal before starting the engine as most automatics will not start unless start unless these precautions are taken. To drive away move the lever from Park to Drive. To do this you will need to push in the security button mounted on the gear lever. Once in Drive the car will slowly move forwards so make sure you have the foot brake engaged before switching to Drive. As with a manual car you should use your right foot to brake. This will prevent any confusion in an emergency. When needing to stop briefly, at a traffic queue for example, you don't need to move the transmission out of Drive and into Park. However you should use the parking brake to ensure the car is safely immobilized. If you need a sudden burst of acceleration, to perform an overtaking manoeuvre for example then press the accelerator down to the floor as this will cause the transmission to automatically drop down to a lower gear giving you increased acceleration. |
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automatic transmission is happening at such a pace they are likely to soon
become the norm.
but no
clutch pedal - the clutch is operated automatically every time a new gear is
selected.
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Most automatics allow you to manually select low gears. These will be marked on the gear shift as numbers equivalent to the gears on a manual although you may find first great is marked L for Low. These low gears are useful in slow moving traffic and when you need to make use of the engine brake such as when driving down a steep hill. On finishing your journey and stopping the car always put the gear shift into Park and engage the parking brake before switching off the engine. |
Why choose an 'Automatic'
If you are reading this in the USA you might be thinking "Why choose a stick shift!"
In most of Europe, the norm is to drive a car with manual transmission - the automatic is still the odd one out.
Automatic transmission takes much of the physical work out of driving and leaves you with both hands on the wheel for more of the time. This should make you safer, especially if you do lots of long journeys or short trips in busy stop-start traffic.
However, there are some differences in technique required if you are going to stay safe in an 'auto'. Having said that, some of the systems now used on upmarket automatics are very sophisticated and will get you out of trouble!
Automatics used to be less reliable, but the technology is now well established and although you may use a little more fuel, the fact that many drivers find that driving an automatic is less stressful makes this a small price to pay.
Follow the links below or use the navigation arrows at the foot of the page to find out more about driving with automatic transmission.
One foot or two?
Generally it's advisable to use only your right foot when driving an automatic in normal conditions.
The reasoning behind this is that it is unlikely that you will to need to brake and accelerate at the same time.
Using one foot will encourage early planning through earlier release of the accelerator. This makes your passengers more comfortable - and safer.
In some automatics you might need two feet for slow speed manoeuvres; the accelerator to coax the car to move and the brake to check that movement quickly and effectively in a confined space.
If you have never driven an auto before, practice two-foot low speed manoeuvring in a clear area, for example, a quiet car park, before trying to reverse into your garage.
General. The main difference between an automatic and a manual is that you have less direct control of the car through the accelerator.
In a manual car releasing the accelerator will almost always have a slowing effect on the car (unless you are going downhill). This is because of an effect called 'engine braking'.
In an automatic, releasing the accelerator can often cause the car to shift up a gear, this removes the familiar engine braking effect and can make the car feel as if it is running away. Because of this you need to develop a habit of adjusting your speed early by 'progressive' braking and then using gentle acceleration to drive through the hazard situation (here, a hazard means anything that causes you to slow down).
Controlled use of the accelerator is important whatever car you drive, manual or auto. In an automatic this is especially important. Harsh pressure on the gas pedal can cause the car to surge forward (or backward).
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The one time that positive heavy acceleration can be useful is when overtaking (or getting away from a bank robbery). Many automatics have a system called 'Kick down' for this purpose. When the accelerator is pressed to the floor the car will change down and hold a lower gear for power acceleration. Be sure to check the handbook of any car you steal (or own). |
Park' or 'neutral'?
From time to time you will stop in traffic. On these occasions you need to make sure that the car is secure.
Whether driving a manual or automatic, it's a good idea to use the handbrake to secure the car when you stop for more than a moment.
This helps to prevent the car from being shunted forward if hit from behind.
In an automatic it's even more important to use the handbrake than in a manual car; if you are hit from behind the car will try to take off! Stay in drive so that you are ready to move and apply the handbrake firmly.
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The footbrake is not an effective means of securing your car.This is because your foot will lift off the brake if you are hit from behind Using the footbrake is also antisocial and can be dangerous because brake lights can dazzle the driver behind, especially at night and in poor weather conditions. |
If waiting a long time, apply the handbrake and then select neutral. This removes the chance of 'creep' if the handbrake is not securely applied (nobody's perfect!).
When parking use the 'Park' position as soon as you stop. This locks the transmission.
When to override the car's choices
There are time when you might need to have more control over your car.
here are some examples: in poor weather conditions; when driving on bendy country lanes (especially in sporty automatics); keeping to low speed limits; climbing some hills; getting ready to overtake and avoiding the kickdown surge.
When you choose one of the 'manual' gear positions you will prevent the car from changing to a gear higher than the one selected.
If you are a driver's driver, as you get to know your car, manual changes will become intuitive.
If you simply use your car as a car - that is to get from A to B (now there's a novel idea!) you might never feel the need to override the automatic changes.
Just do whatever gives you a sense of control for the type of driving you do.
If you are unsure, get some training!
Types of automatic transmission
There are several different types of 'automatic' transmission.
'Full' automatics: These are what we have been talking about in this section; they have a gearbox and torque converter to transmit the power to the driving wheels.
Semi-automatics: These have a gear lever but no clutch, so you change gear as normal but the car does the clutch bit for you.
Pre-selector systems allow a gear to be selected in advance and then activated when needed by pressing a pedal.
'Tiptronic' (Porsche) or 'Sensonic' (Saab) systems allow electronic sequential gear changing through + and - buttons or lever, usually built into the steering wheel (like in racing cars!). These cars have a clutch, but it's operated by an electronic motor rather than directly by the driver.
Constantly Variable Transmission (CVT): This old system was pioneered by DAF amongst others came back to life in the early 90's; it's found in small 'automatics' Rather than 'stepped' gears, this type of drive is infinitely variable and is controlled by accelerator pressure and speed. CVT usually has fewer selector choices than full automatics, typically: Park;Reverse; Neutral; Drive; and Low.
If you are looking to buy a Automatic Car why not visit link below and tell them Lee sent you.
http://www.thesmallautocompany.co.uk