Automated Mechanical Transmission Controls, 1983

An automatic transmission for Class 7 and 8 trucks is presently under development. This system involves the marriage of current products with advanced electronic technology.

The system considerations and design philosophies of the electronic controller are described, as well as the mechanical hardware for conversion of a manual transmission into a fully automatic transmission.

Actual vehicle test results, including shift performance, illuminate the benefits to be derived from an automated mechanical transmission.