Clutchless driving in a manual car: Watch the Automate kit work in a Jeep Compass [Video]

One of the main problem that one faces while using a manual transmission car in a city traffic condition is the constant use of clutch and brakes. This becomes irritating at times and gradually people started shifting towards automatic and AMT’s so that they don’t have to worry about the clutch anymore. But, everyone who has driven a manual and an automatic car knows that automatic is convenient but manual is more fun to drive. So AutoMate, a Pune-based company came up with a solution that will allow any manual car to be driven without having to press the clutch pedal while shifting gears.

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They came up with a solution and developed Auto Clutch technology. It is a technology that converts any manual transmission car into an automatic transmission or a semi-automatic vehicle. This technology when installed to a manual transmission car will allow the driver to manually shift the gears but without pressing the clutch pedal. The very same thing is demonstrated visually in the video that is posted in the social media.

How does this system work?

The system does not alter with the engine or gearbox of the car. It is just a parallel system that helps in making the driving in heavy traffic conditions less stressfull. In this system, the clutch pedal is connected to an actuator which is connected to a motor beneath the driver side seat. The motor is controlled by a seperate set of computer which senses engine RPMs and speed of the car and then decides on how much the clutch pedal should be released.

Unlike a completely automatic car, Auto Mate system is completely switchable, The gear knob has been replaced with a new unit and it gets a switch where in the driver can manually switch of the system and start using the car like a normal manual transmission car. There is also a touch sensor on the gear knob that senses when driver touches the gear knob to shift a gear and engages the clutch pedal accordingly.

The video even shows a proper demonstration of how the system works in a moving car and one can stop the car in any gear one wants and the clutch will automatically engage while coming to a halt. Kia’s compact SUV which will be based on the Sonet concept will also get a similar type of transmission when launched, they call it IMT which stands for Intelligent Manual Transmission.