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The first automatic car, the 1904 Sturtevant TourerInventor Sturtevant designed the 1904 Automatic Tourer that featured an internal combustion engine, a 3-speed semi-automatic gearbox, automatic lubrication and vacuum brakes. -
The 1901 Panhard et Levassor.The Sturtevant automatic transmission serves as the blueprint for all automatic cars and trucks on today's roads. -
A cutaway view of the automatic transmission.The clutch-less automatic car utilizes a gearbox that automatically changes the gear ratio, which allows the driver to simply select one gear to move or park the vehicle. -
The "Hydramatic" transmission began its life in a 1940 Oldsmobile.While automakers experimented with a variety of different automatics, the semi-automatic and the fully automatic transmission received the most attention. - Automatic cars changed gears at specific predetermined speeds, often coming in 2- or 3-speed models, depending on the size of the engine and the options available.
- Relatively modern automatic cars, such as 1940-67 Oldsmobiles equipped with "Hydramatic" transmissions, have no clutch pedal, freeing the driver from physically shifting gears.
- The automatic transmission increasingly is becoming standard equipment on all vehicles, while European vehicles often are equipped with manual versions.
