Why trouble yourself with shifting gears? Let it shift automatically.
From being designed for people who could not drive manual cars to be a mark of comfort and luxury, automatic cars came a long way. It proved to be quite helpful in major cities because tiptoeing through rush hour traffic is a daily task. The automatic transmission even makes long drives less restless and tiring: It is built to reduce effort and improve comfort.
As the name suggests, the automatic transmission is capable of changing gears automatically as the vehicle gains speed. There is no need to manually shift gears which can become tiring in traffic or with continuous usage. Automatic transmission brings some changes around the car when compared to the normal manual transmission vehicle. It could benefit your driving experience and car's overall health to know what some dos and don’ts are while driving an automatic car and we're bringing you exactly that.
1. Get the clutch pedal out of your mind.
The clutch pedal is already out of your car, now it needs to be out of your mind. But the absence of a clutch does not mean there are no gears. They do have gears and most of the gear changes are handled by the car itself. That is why there's just the brake and accelerator but no clutch pedal.
The issue you could come across if you started as a manual driver is the tendency to apply clutch, but there will be only brake and accelerate for automatic. Any car, may it be manual or automatic will be upset if you apply both the pedals at the same time. People who are used to manual transmission tuck their left foot behind their right foot to slowly get used to an automatic. You can follow this tip to keep your left foot from forgetting that it is not a clutch on the left-hand side.
2. Get used to minimal gear shifts.
Before you jump into riding the automatic we recommend you take some time to get used to the gearstick. Even though you will only have to use it occasionally, the time you will need to reverse in a hurry you will be glad you took some time to get used to it. There won't be much use to a gearstick compared to a manual, but when you do use a gearstick you should hold the brake down (like the clutch in a manual).
There are four basic gears in an automatic.
P- Park
You should make sure your car is in Park before you start the car and back to Park when you turn off the engine because in Park the wheels can't run in neutral with gears locked in.
R – Reverse
This is obviously for going backwards.
N – Neutral
If you need to stop for more than a couple of seconds like at lights or in traffic, you can shift to neutral to stop the car from moving and apply the brake to avoid rolling.
D – Drive
D is for moving forwards and when you're moving forward fast enough, the car takes care of shifting gears to second, then third and so on.
But some automatics have other options on the gear sticks and you might see:
1: First gear- This is used to climb inclined roads.
2: Second gear- This one is also used to climb inclined and hilly roads.
L: Low gear, it can be First or Second, it depends on the road.
S: Sports, as the name indicates, it is for punchier acceleration.
3. You might slowly move without hitting the accelerator.
If you are in Drive or any other forward gear, an automatic car will move slowly forward even if you don't press the accelerator. It moves slowly backwards if you are in Reverse also. This is commonly referred to as 'idle speed' or 'creeping' and due to this, it is recommended to keep your right foot hovering over the brake when you are parking or slowly moving traffic or driving on occasions where visibility is low like in stormy weather. You can always use the handbrake to make sure your automatic car does not move forward when you do not want to.
4. Different conditions require different adaptability.
There's no debate on the fact that automatic cars are certainly easier to learn to drive in. Because there is no need to think about the time-consuming process of shifting gears, the learners can shift their focus to other parts of driving like mirrors, speed, pedestrians, etc. But people who are used to manual transmission may notice some differences, but on motorways, there's rarely any difference. Automatics are great because staying in traffic jams in Drive is the same as staying in top gear. You will find the 'creep' feature as an advantage while you are parking. But some people think automatic car does not give them as much control compared to manual while overtaking, going up or downhill and towing.
However, there is an O/D (Overdrive) button in the older automatics which is present in the gear stick that gives the engine a bit more power. But most new models don't require this button because they are smart enough to know when the driver wants a bit more power.
5. Practice
Practice as you do with operating or using anything you are unfamiliar with. You must accept this is not the same as driving a manual and there are differences. Practice somewhere with minimum traffic and preferably somewhere outside main highways. It would not take much long if you are already a manual driver, because it is mostly about keeping your hand off the gear stick and left foot out of the way.
6. Leasing an Automatic Car.
Car leasing is the most cost-effective way to use a car and if you are going to use an Automatic it could benefit you more by leasing it. You can find out how it feels and how comfortable you are in using it for some time without having to buy it. And who knows! You might decide to never shift back to a manual car again. You can start your car leasing journey with one of the leading leasing partners, ALD Automotive. For a detailed introduction to car leasing click here.
