Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) gearboxes have gained immense popularity in India in recent years, and its use in affordable entry-level cars is more prevalent than before. AMTs make sense given the growing traffic congestion in cities. The fuel efficiency offered by an AMT is also more than what is offered by a manual gear box and are also fairly inexpensive to maintain as compared to advanced automatic gearbox technologies. With the new redi-GO AMT, Datsun India intends to ensure customers avail these advantages and offer a value proposition in a market, where this technology is being fast lapped up.
AMTs are essentially a pseudo automatic transmission and offer the convenience of a conventional automatic gearbox. Automatic transmission until a few years ago was a luxury mostly offered with high end cars in India and there were very few models in the affordable cars space that would come equipped with one. With the new introduction, the redi-GO AMT joins the league Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, Renault Kwid AMT and the Tata GenX Nano AMT in the small hatchback segment with AMTs.
At the heart of the AMT transmission is a manual gearbox. It is a two pedal technology just like all other automatic transmissions, and uses actuators for clutch and gearshift operations. Actuators are either electro-mechanical or electrohydraulic type. The mechanism includes a clutch, but no clutch pedal. Clutch and shifts are operated by actuators, and all this is precisely controlled by the transmission control unit (TCU).
DATSUN’S PITCH
The Datsun redi-GO is based on the same CMF-A platform as the Renault Kwid and under the skin, both the cars remain the same. The initial perceptions were similar to the Kwid AMT, but the new redi-GO does exhibit minor differences from its sibling.
Datsun has named its AMT unit Smart Drive Auto, unlike the Kwid AMT which gets Renault’s Easy-R system, but the differences go beyond the nomenclature. The biggest difference is that the redi-GO gets a conventional shifter. So, there’s a lever instead of the rotary dial. Another key difference is the manual model, which will particularly come in handy when the driver wants to overtake someone, or is trying to go uphill. This feature isn’t available in the Kwid.
This story is from the February 2018 edition of Auto Tech Review.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2018 edition of Auto Tech Review.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Sound Generation For Enhanced Road Safety
With an ever-increasing number of fully electric and hybrid vehicles entering the market, we are witnessing a change in the acoustic experience in and around the car. The silent nature of the electric powertrain means that other road users miss the familiar acoustic cues that warn them of an approaching vehicle. To remedy this situation, Harman is working on various noise management solutions.
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE SAFETY CONTRIBUTION OF TODAY'S AUTOMOTIVE HEADLAMPS
Good lighting makes a major contribution to road safety. In 2011, the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) presented an evaluation system for headlamps that can objectively assess the quality of illumination and glare limitation. New light sources like LEDs and lighting functions (glare-free high beam, partial high beam) have been available for several years, so that an extension of the proven CIE method is necessary, which takes into account, among other things, changed switch-on and service lives of new lighting functions and represents a generally understandable evaluation system. An evaluation system presented in the following by the Technische Uni versität Darmstadt, which was developed by an encompassing expert commission, is intended to provide representative data and enable an objective evaluation of headlamp performance.
RAPIDO RE-INNOVATES TO CATER TO POST COVID-19 LAST MILE CONNECTIVITY
The rapid pace of urbanisation in the country has witnessed cities expanding and subsuming surrounding villages and smaller towns, evolving into Tier II and III cities.
FUNCTIONAL SAFETY STANDARDS TOP PRIORITY FOR FUTURE AUTOMOTIVE DEPLOYMENT
Increasing levels of electronic content in vehicles result in a large amount of software that is required to run the scenes behind the mechanical aspects of a vehicle. Electronic systems in automobiles are part of every section, from the powertrain to comfort and convenience systems as well as all types of safety equipment. This makes electronics and the software running these systems a critical part of the equation for future mobility solutions. In addition, putting standards in place to measure methods of developing, testing and functioning of such electronic systems also becomes highly relevant.
“BYD'S EV STRATEGY TO ENCOMPASS MOST FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION NEEDS IN INDIA”
The country’s electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem is grappling with a plethora of challenges even as it is striving to wriggle itself out of the ‘nascent stage’ tag. In an exclusive chat with Auto Tech Review, Zhang Jie Ketsu, Executive Director, BYD India shares his perspective on the current EV scenario and how the company intends to progress faster in the Indian automotive industry
SAFETY IN ELECTRIC AND AUTONOMOUS CARS – SIMULATION OF COMPLEX CRASH SCENARIOS
Electric and autonomous vehicles allow for novel seating arrangements and packaging strategies, presenting new safety challenges. Physical crash testing must be supplemented with virtual simulation to ensure vehicle safety on shorter development cycles. With its Simcenter Madymo MBS software, Siemens provides improved runtimes and the Active Human model, enabling accurate and rapid occupant safety analysis in complex crash scenarios.
KIA SONET – A MIGHTY OFFERING IN THE COMPACT SUV SEGMENT
It wouldn't be wrong to say that Kia Motors India has taken the Indian market by storm in less than 12 months of its presence in the market.
NISSAN'S NEW DIRECTION: ARIYA ALL-ELECTRIC
Marking a key milestone in Nissan’s transformation strategy, Ariya ticks a lot of boxes highlighting the strengths of the global automotive giant.
BETTER SAFETY WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ASSIST FOR MOTORCYCLES
Rear-end collisions with a slower vehicle suddenly cutting into the lane and intersection accidents with cross-traffic are among the most frequent motorcycle accident types. Continental is now developing an emergency brake assist, which detects an imminent collision with a vehicle ahead or with an obstacle, warns the rider and supports him during braking
ADAS WILL SERVE AS CATALYST FOR IMPROVED VEHICLE SAFETY
The automotive industry across the globe is increasingly focussing on safety.
