SEMI-AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

A semi-automatic transmission (SAT) (also known as a clutchless manual

transmission, automated manual transmission, trigger shift, flappy-paddle gear shift, or paddle-
shift gearbox) is an automobile transmission that does not change gears automatically, but rather
facilitates manual gear changes by dispensing with the need to press a clutch pedal at the same
time as changing gears. It uses electronic sensors, pneumatics, processors and actuators to
execute gear shifts on input from the driver or by a computer. This removes the need for
a clutch pedal which the driver otherwise needs to depress before making a gear change, since
the clutch itself is actuated by electronic equipment which can synchronise the timing and torque
required to make quick, smooth gear shifts. The system was designed by automobile
manufacturers to provide a better driving experience through fast overtaking maneuvers on
highways. Some motorcycles also use a system with a conventional gearchange but without the
need for manual clutch operation.

The operation of semi-automatic transmissions has evolved as vehicle manufacturers

experimented with different systems. In one early mass-production example, Ferrari offered
their Mondial model with a clutchless manual, which Ferrari called the Valeo transmission. In
this system, the gear stick of a traditional manual transmission was retained; moving the shifter
automatically engaged the electro-hydraulic clutch. Saab's Sensonic transmission worked in a
similar fashion.
In standard mass-production automobiles today, the gear lever appears similar to manual shifts,
except that the gear stick only moves forward and backward to shift into higher and lower gears,
instead of the traditional H-pattern. The Bugatti Veyron uses this approach for its seven-speed
transmission. In Formula One, the system is adapted to fit onto the steering wheel in the form of
two paddles; depressing the right paddle shifts into a higher gear, while depressing the left
paddle shifts into a lower one. Numerous road cars have inherited the same mechanism.
Hall Effect sensors sense the direction of requested shift, and this input, together with a sensor in
the gear box which senses the current speed and gear selected, feeds into a central processing
unit. This unit then determines the optimal timing and torque required for a smooth clutch
engagement, based on input from these two sensors as well as other factors, such as engine
rotation, the Electronic Stability Control, air conditioner and dashboard instruments.
The central processing unit powers a hydro-mechanical unit to either engage or disengage the
clutch, which is kept in close synchronization with the gear-shifting action the driver has started.
In some cases, the hydro-mechanical unit contains a servomotor coupled to a gear arrangement
for a linear actuator, which uses brake fluid from the braking system to impel a hydraulic
cylinder to move the main clutch actuator. In other cases, the clutch actuator may be completely
electric.
The power of the system lies in the fact that electronic equipment can react much faster and more
precisely than a human, and takes advantage of the precision of electronic signals to allow a
complete clutch operation without the intervention of the driver.
For the needs of parking, reversing and neutralizing the transmission, the driver must engage
both paddles at once; after this has been accomplished, the car will prompt for one of the three
options.
The clutch is really only needed to get the car in motion. For a quicker upshift, the engine power
can be cut, and the collar disengaged until the engine drops to the correct speed for the next gear.
For the teeth of the collar to slide into the teeth of the rings, both the speed and position must
match. This needs sensors to measure not only the speed, but the positions of the teeth, and the
throttle may need to be opened softer or harder. The even-faster shifting techniques
like powershifting require a heavier gearbox or clutch or even a dual clutch transmission.

POWER FLOW DIAGRAMS OF SEMI AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

NEUTRAL:

FIRST SPEED:
SECOND SPEED:

THIRD SPEED:

FOURTH SPEED: