If you are thinking of buying an automatic car, keep these 10 things in mind, it won’t be a problem

As automatic cars become cheaper, most of the new age drivers are switching to cars equipped with automatic transmission. Many AMT cars are available up to Rs 5 lakh. Easy and hassle-free operation of automatic driving is one of the main reasons people switch from manual transmission cars. Here are 10 things about automatic cars that few people tell you

1. There is a difference between an automatic and a true automatic transmission. The automatic doesn’t work as well as other automatics, which can feel like a downgrade, as the experience isn’t the same and some people might even find the driving experience sluggish. For those who own an AMT for the first time in the name of an automatic transmission car, you will be happy to see how comfortable these cars are.

2. Unlike a manual transmission car where you have to operate the clutch regularly, in an AMT, the car takes care of the clutch for you. AMT stands for Automatic Manual Transmission. The transmission function remains the same, it simply eliminates the hassle of clutch and manual gear shifting, making it easier for you to drive. It is actually much easier than riding a gear-less scooter.

3. In the automatic segment of easy-to-buy, easy-to-maintain cars, AMTs are a more affordable option AMTs are basically cars that add some automatic transmission functions to the manual gearbox. Considering the fact that adding it is not that complicated, many budget hatchbacks are available with AMT gearboxes. No need for a whole new transmission, just a few extra features that help keep costs down. These added features actually make AMT more affordable in terms of maintenance as opposed to vehicles with manual gearboxes.

4. Better fuel efficiency Compared to conventional automatic transmissions, AMTs are more fuel-efficient. Considering AMTs are partially manual, they don’t affect fuel efficiency; They are giving the same average as their manual counterparts.

5. Manual transmission features have another side to every coin and same is the case with AMT. While AMT vehicles are easy to drive and offer the same fuel efficiency as manuals, they don’t offer features like parking mode, hill descent and hill hold. So if you plan to buy an AMT equipped car, make sure you get into the habit of using the handbrake.

6. Control your car and change gears Most AMT cars get a simple stick that you can use whenever you feel the need to control your car manually. This option of taking matters into your own hands is not usually offered in many conventional self-driving cars. There is clearly an advantage to having a car that gives you the option of upshifting and downshifting as you wish, which AMT equipped cars provide.

7. AMT is improving day by day, technology is developing at a phenomenal pace in all walks of life, and cars are a big part of technological development. You can buy AMT which offers features like hill hold (found in cars like Tata Nexon and Renault Duster). Besides improving the driving experience, it also allows the driver to relax when the vehicle is parked on an inclined surface/ground.

8. Driving in traffic? No need to speed up, driving in traffic is a nightmare for drivers, but ATM cars sold in our country now come with a feature called ‘Creep’. This ‘creep’ feature allows your car to slow down in traffic without having to put your foot down to speed. Just imagine how easy heavy traffic situations are now. Your car won’t lock in first gear, your car will automatically slow down, you just need to keep one hand on the steering wheel and that’s it.

9. Downhill driving is a bit difficult. Manual cars have engine braking systems and many people rely on this when driving uphill or stopping short distances. Interestingly in AMT cars you don’t get clutch control, meaning you don’t get engine braking system. While driving on slopes or flat surfaces, EBS puts your vehicle in a low gear which eventually slows down the vehicle. You can switch to manual mode but different cars may behave differently so you need to understand your car and adjust accordingly.

10. Think Before Overtaking When it comes to AMT vehicles, overtaking takes some planning. Even when you have the option to switch to manual mode, overtaking on AMT is a troublesome task as no matter how advanced/developed they are, they tend to be sluggish. Even in manual mode, they cannot match the gear shifting speed of a real manual car or other more advanced automatic transmission vehicles.