New Ford Stick Patent. Would You Buy a Faux Manual?

They nailed what gives drivers pause: the inevitable stall out. Everyone who's driven a stick knows the feeling too well; stalling out makes you feel as if the machine has betrayed you. It only has to happen to you once to make your blood boil. Shifting is a skill like any other, and one can learn to avoid stalls simply by trial and error. It only takes a few tries to familiarize yourself with any clutch.

For those seeking a more immersive driving experience, this is a good idea, even if it's nothing more than a stop gap. The good news is that someone is at least working on an alternative to purely automatic transmissions.

How is this significantly different than Porsche PDK, MB dual clutch, or the even more elaborate F1 tranny? Because it’s gear shift actuated instead of paddles?

paddle shifters got a bad name because mfgs were putting them on automatic transmission cars, in many cases the shifts were slow and inefficient. But real paddles are pretty cool…

no thanks for this particular “innovation” from Ford.

I love paddle shifters that actually shift when ya pull them but few do. It will get better I hope...but we all know automatics are faster and get better mileage these days even if some of us old timey folk still like 3 pedal they are tru a dyeing breed...

Shoresy

How is this significantly different than Porsche PDK, MB dual clutch, or the even more elaborate F1 tranny? Because it’s gear shift actuated instead of paddles?

paddle shifters got a bad name because mfgs were putting them on automatic transmission cars, in many cases the shifts were slow and inefficient. But real paddles are pretty cool…

no thanks for this particular “innovation” from Ford.

I’ve never driven anything like a Porsche PDK although that transmission seems to get very positive reviews.

Maybe I’ve just never experienced a nice enough paddle shifted car?

I’ve always just assumed that drive by wire was like a poor video game experience because of the way the paddle shifters were in my explorer.

What I like about a manual is that you can feel the vibrations and hear what the car is doing allowing you to make choices based on that input.

AllthePonies

Ford has a new patent for a drive by wire manual transmission. It would certainly be better than nothing in an electric vehicle. I would be sad if they replaced the stick in the Bronco with this though. It just reminds me too much of the clunky paddle shifters or buttons on the shift lever that few people use with their automatics.

What do you think? Am I just a Luddite who doesn’t know it yet and can’t accept the inevitable future?

https://www.gearpatrol.com/cars/a38983227/ford-patent-manual-transmission/

Thanks for posting @AllthePonies - I wasn’t aware that something like this even existed but to me it seems to be another classic “solve for a problem that doesn’t really exist”.

What’s the real difference between this innovation and standard, manual trans? From the article it appears that it’s all electronic and the clutch isn’t needed but can be used optionally. So, aside from the initial roll off when a manual clutch is disengaged what are the other advantages? Can it handle more power (doubtful)? Quicker shifts (likely)? Less expensive? More durable? Fewer parts? Easier service? Longer lifespan? More gears? Better MPG? Smaller size? Lighter weight?

Why don’t manufacturers just put manual transmissions in vehicles with the demand for a manual? (because the majority of buyers don’t want them). Will this innovation change that? I don’t think so.

BuckYeah

They nailed what gives drivers pause: the inevitable stall out. Everyone who's driven a stick knows the feeling too well; stalling out makes you feel as if the machine has betrayed you. It only has to happen to you once to make your blood boil. Shifting is a skill like any other, and one can learn to avoid stalls simply by trial and error. It only takes a few tries to familiarize yourself with any clutch.

For those seeking a more immersive driving experience, this is a good idea, even if it's nothing more than a stop gap. The good news is that someone is at least working on an alternative to purely automatic transmissions.

That’s a good point re: stalling. The new manuals seem to have fixed it for the most part though by automatically applying throttle when you start to lift off the clutch. Plus, the car doesn’t roll back anymore when you are on a hill because the computer senses this and aids you with automatic braking/throttle in the background. I really like the new stick shifts from Ford because they fix all the old issues with technology, but still give you the connectivity to the car. The reality is that automatics have far surpassed manuals in performance, but I still prefer the active engagement the stick offers.

Bschurr

Thanks for posting @AllthePonies - I wasn’t aware that something like this even existed but to me it seems to be another classic “solve for a problem that doesn’t really exist”.

What’s the real difference between this innovation and standard, manual trans? From the article it appears that it’s all electronic and the clutch isn’t needed but can be used optionally. So, aside from the initial roll off when a manual clutch is disengaged what are the other advantages? Can it handle more power (doubtful)? Quicker shifts (likely)? Less expensive? More durable? Fewer parts? Easier service? Longer lifespan? More gears? Better MPG? Smaller size? Lighter weight?

Why don’t manufacturers just put manual transmissions in vehicles with the demand for a manual? (because the majority of buyers don’t want them). Will this innovation change that? I don’t think so.

A lot of really good questions there. My guess is that this patent would cover ICE cost reduction and/or the ability to easily put a manual in an electric car. I don’t think I know enough though.

I do feel like people wouldn’t have abandoned sticks so quickly for automatics if all the technology they have today for manuals has existed decades ago such as hill start assist, automatic throttle engagement to reduce stalling, automatic parking brake removal, rev matching (Mustang), gear sensing for dash display, reverse/crawler lockout, rev limiters, etc.

I remember fighting with cars wanting to roll down hill when I was first learning to drive and even having a corvette driver roll down a hill backwards and hit me because he couldn’t figure it out. Not an issue today.

Shoresy

How is this significantly different than Porsche PDK, MB dual clutch, or the even more elaborate F1 tranny? Because it’s gear shift actuated instead of paddles?

paddle shifters got a bad name because mfgs were putting them on automatic transmission cars, in many cases the shifts were slow and inefficient. But real paddles are pretty cool…

no thanks for this particular “innovation” from Ford.

It will, if anything, keep the manual shifting skill alive. So, theres no clutch. The skill involved with a manual is more lost with each new generation of driver. Plus, if you have to manually shift your automatic, youll have less time to look at f***Bok while driving. Might have to pay attention to the road then.

AllthePonies

I do feel like people wouldn’t have abandoned sticks so quickly for automatics if all the technology they have today for manuals has existed decades ago such as hill start assist, automatic throttle engagement to reduce stalling, automatic parking brake removal, rev matching (Mustang), gear sensing for dash display, reverse/crawler lockout, rev limiters, etc.

People didn’t abandon manual transmissions - times changed and drivers started to use vehicles differently - remember, there weren’t any cup holders in cars until the late 70s / early 80s. People didn’t eat in their cars - there were drive-ins for that - we didn’t have cell phones yet. The automatic trans were considered a luxury and you paid extra for this option. The consumption era ushered in a wave of convenience & ease that prevails today. This, coupled with really good enhancements of the auto trans for fast, easy shifts and the ability to handle gobs of power and rev match for shifting has killed off the manual - save for a few diehards like me.

Learned to drive MT in an 80s vintage Datsun (maybe it was Nissan by then) pickup in the river bed at Great Sand Dunes. Think I was 14.

Fast forward 35 years and felt my parental-responsibility to ensure my kids know how to drive them (just in case one of them has a role of Fast-Furious 47) :)

My daughter gets it. She loves driving out little Focus ST. The other day she was driving a friend to lunch and they said “would you stop shifting so much! It’s very annoying!” My dtr had to explain the whole deal, her friend had absolutely no idea. So were losing the battle…

Glad there’s still a few of us that still get it! I appreciate some of the minor tech enhancements that have been made over the years. But for me I want 3 pedals and a requirement to use em all!