CLUTCH PERFORMANCE

From no clutch to fake clutch: how Ford and Toyota could change the manual gearbox as we know it

FORD AND TOYOTA are working hard to #savethemanuals and, if recent patents filed in the USA are anything to go by, the act of rowing gears could be opened up to a whole new range of buyers and even exist long after the fuel bowsers run dry.

Ford's prospective system is a bit more conventional, comprising of a clutchless-version of a traditional manual transmission coupled to a combustion engine.

The transmission unit features an automated clutch, rendering the revered third pedal redundant. The clutch is subsequently automated by a pressure sensor on the gearknob. The CPU system can then gauge the correct clutch movement based on wheel speed and the required gear ratio.

While this effectively removes what many deem an integral part of the manual experience, Ford's two-pedal system will make the manual gearbox more accessible to a whole pool of buyers, feasibly extending the life of the stick shift.

It should improve straight-line performance compared to a three-pedal setup, yielding faster shifts thanks to the pressure sensor triggered automation of the clutch.

Interestingly, Ford's recent patent filing also indicates that its system can be manipulated to give the driver control of the clutch, as the sensor can be triggered merely by squeezing the gearknob. An anti-stall system will also override the clutch action if it detects that the driver is not correctly operating it. Some of this will sound familiar.