Driving an Automatic Car - How To Drive an Automatic Car

Traditionally driving an automatic car has never been as popular as driving a manual car. This has been for three reasons: automatic cars give less precise control over gear selection they consume more fuel they are more expensive to buy. However automatic transmissions are becoming increasingly more sophisticated and economical. In fact the evolution of the automatic transmission is happening at such a pace they are likely to soon become the norm. In a car with manual transmission the driver decides when to change gear and does so by pressing the clutch pedal down and then selecting the desired gear by moving the gear stick. In an automatic car the gear change is made automatically, hence there is no clutch or gear stick. When the transmission is put into Drive (D) the car will automatically select the correct gear according to the load on the engine and the road speed. Usually, an automatic will change to a higher gear as the road speed increase, and to a lower gear as it falls.

An automatic transmission will also change down to a lower gear when going uphill, as the load on the engine increases.

The Gear Selector
Nearly all automatic have a gear selector, which will usual include:

• P - (park) the locks the transmission and should only be selected when the vehicle is stationary.
  
  
• R - (reverse)
  
  
• N - (neutral) this is the same as neural on a manual gearbox.
  
  
• D - (drive) select when driving forward.
  
  
• 2 - (second gear)
  
  
• 1 (first Gear)

Why, you may ask, are first and second gear available for the driver to select, this is an automatic after all. Well, sometimes the driver of an automatic will need to override the automatic system and select a low gear, i.e. when going down a steep hill. In such a situation the automatic transmission will try and change into a higher gear, however, for safety reasons, it is better to drive down a steep hill in a low gear, hence the manual override.

Semi-automatic transmissions are becoming increasingly popular. These have a manual gearshift, giving the driver control over gear selection, but no clutch pedal - the clutch is operated automatically every time a new gear is selected.

Automatic and semi-automatic systems differ from car to car and you should always read the manual carefully before driving one. However this general advice will prove useful and relevant to all systems:

• Ensure the gear lever is in Park (P) and that your foot is firmly pressing the brake pedal before starting the engine as most automatics will not start unless these precautions are taken.
  
  
• To drive away you should move the lever from Park to Drive. To do this you will need to push in the security button mounted on the gear lever. Once in Drive the car will slowly move forwards so make sure you have the foot brake engaged before switching to Drive.
  
  
• As with a manual car you should use your right foot to brake. This will prevent any confusion in an emergency.
  
  
• When needing to stop briefly, at a traffic queue for example, you don't need to move the transmission out of Drive and into Park. However you should use the parking brake to ensure the car is safely immobilized.
  
  
• If you need a sudden burst of acceleration, to perform an overtaking manoeuvre for example then press the accelerator down to the floor as this will cause the transmission to automatically drop down to a lower gear giving you increased acceleration. This is know as Kick-Down.
  
  
• Automatics sometimes change up as you approach a corner due to reduced pressure on the accelerator. To avoid this, slow down before you reach the corner then accelerate gently as you turn.
  
  
• Avoid creep - creep happens if the engine tick-over, or slow running of the engine creates enough power to move the car. The brakes are necessary to prevent the car moving. To avoid creep, always apply the parking brake when you pull up.
  
  
• The engine brake is less effective on an automatic, especially if engine tick over is set too fast.