Continued developments in control and integration applied to automatic and twin clutch powershift transmissions have provided smooth, comfortable gearshifts. However, whilst suitable for most vehicles and markets for everyday driving, such characteristics may not suit the character of a sportscar or a vehicle sports mode for elective shifts.
The paper reports upon a project[1], extending from [2,3,4], undertaken to determine the main effects and interaction of shift feel and cabin sound that influence the driver's perception of a “sporty” gear shift.
Good correlation has been found for models which include data from three very different transmission types, meeting the requirement for a predictor for shift sportiness, independent of transmission type. This has yielded predictive equations and measures of their accuracy based upon longitudinal acceleration and engine speed.
Weaker correlation has been found for sound metrics, substantially due to a lower degree of consensus between the assessors.