Gearboxes: Manual or Automatic?

[klier]

Originally Posted by coolraoul

It's not "dual" that counts here. The difference is: automated manual (need the whole driver's license) or automatic (no clutch, driveable with the auto license).

Whether it has one or two clutches is irrelevant.

It's hardly irrelevant if DCT means Double Clutch Tranmission. If a car doesn't have a double clutch, it's no DCT. No Mecedes other than the SLS has it.

[braaf]

Originally Posted by dr Dunkel

So, to sum this sidetrack up a bit; yes, DCT is automatic

As well as SMG, cos in plain and simple english the actaul cog swopping happens automatically.

[shonguiz]

Why just not doing as the rest of the world and doing driving license tests with manual only and then deiving whatever you want ?

[south]

Originally Posted by shonguiz

Why just not doing as the rest of the world and doing driving license tests with manual only and then deiving whatever you want ?

That's usually the case and most common. However, it's still possible to have a licence limited to clutchless cars in case some can't or won't drive manual cars.


Best regards,
south

[Sunny]

Originally Posted by shonguiz

Why just not doing as the rest of the world and doing driving license tests with manual only and then deiving whatever you want ?

Haha, it is the opposite here in the US. Yoy can take the test in automatic (or manual) and then drive whatever. Driving tests here are a joke (at least in California, it changes state to state, what they ask you to do).

[shonguiz]

They let people drive manuals even if they never touched it ? That must be funny to watch

[Just_me]

Originally Posted by shonguiz

They let people drive manuals even if they never touched it ? That must be funny to watch

Remember Britney Spears? She crashed a rented Ferrari because she never driven a manual car before.

[Betty Swollocks]

Originally Posted by south

Ok, this issue made me curious, so I looked at it in detail.

In short: Both in UK and in Germany you're entitled to drive double clutch gearboxes with auto only driving licences.

The U.K. Driving Licences Order 2007 defines the following:

Interpretation

2. In this Order—

(b) “vehicle with automatic transmission” means a vehicle in which either—

(i) the driver is not provided with any means whereby he may vary the gear ratio between the engine and the road wheels independently of the accelerator and the brakes, or

(ii) he is provided with such means but they do not include a clutch pedal or lever which he may operate manually [...]

This means that DCT cars fit in the second category (ii) and are considered to be vehicles with automatic transmissions. So with a "B auto" licence you can also drive an M3 DCT for example.

Thanks for looking that up South (genuinely), but your interpretation of it is wrong. It's the section I've highlighted in bold which is the key, and the reason you are not allowed to drive a DCT or SMG with an auto only license.

It says a car is classed as an automatic gearbox ONLY if it doesn't have a clutch pedal OR no way of changing the gears with a lever which they may operate manually. Clearly the DCT and SMG have a lever which allows the driver to change gears manually.

It is a fact. You CANNOT drive a DCT or SMG gearbox on an auto only license in the UK.

(Sorry to keep this off topic but I thought it was important to point this out.)

[PanterroR]

Originally Posted by EnI

That's because driving lessons are done in cars with manual gearbox exclusively, and so is the DL final test / drive.

Yep, and i support that - if you can't drive the stick....

[dr Dunkel]

Originally Posted by Betty Swollocks

Thanks for looking that up South (genuinely), but your interpretation of it is wrong. It's the section I've highlighted in bold which is the key, and the reason you are not allowed to drive a DCT or SMG with an auto only license.

It says a car is classed as an automatic gearbox ONLY if it doesn't have a clutch pedal OR no way of changing the gears with a lever which they may operate manually. Clearly the DCT and SMG have a lever which allows the driver to change gears manually.

It is a fact. You CANNOT drive a DCT or SMG gearbox on an auto only license in the UK.

(Sorry to keep this off topic but I thought it was important to point this out.)

And in the rest of the EC, the lack of a clutch pedal makes it an automatic.

Furthermore, is there something in a DCT or SMG that funtions as a driver operated clutch?