Automated Manual Transmission

Automated manual transmission (AMT) has made quite a buzz in the Indian Automobile Industry and is being adopted by a number of manufacturers. So today let us learn three things about it :

  1. What is AMT.
  2. It’s advantages and disadvantages.
  3. Should I buy AMT equipped car.

1. What is AMT:


AMT is an electro-hydraulic mechanism that uses a combination of sensors, control unit and actuators to automate the gear changes. The sensors collect all the required data and send it to the control unit which processes the data and makes decisions whether to change gear or not. Then the control unit commands the actuators to engage or disengage the clutch and do the necessary gear shifting. Almost all the modern AMT’s allow the the driver to change the gears without clutch, either sequentially or fully automatically. Latest AMT’s come equipped with creep function which eases maneuvering in bumper to bumper traffic. The car starts crawling slowly as soon as the driver release brakes without any accelerator input.

2. It’s advantages and disadvantages:


  • Increased convenience as the driver doesn’t need to operate clutch.
  • Increased fuel efficiency due to optimized gear changes.
  • Most affordable automatic transmission technology.
  • Less maintenance compared to conventional torque converters and cvt’s.


  • Less refined compared to conventional automatics.
  • Heavy on pocket compared to manual transmissions.
  • More maintenance compared to manual transmissions.

3. Should I buy AMT equipped car:

If you are looking for an affordable automatic car for driving in cities, you can choose AMT. Creep function further adds to the convenience. But if you are a driving enthusiast and seeking for driving pleasure and convenience, you should stay away from AMT’s.