AUTOMATIC GEAR CHANGE

Southland Times, Issue 23437, 18 February 1938, Page 3

AUTOMATIC GEAR CHANGE

DEVELOPMENT ON NEW MOTOR-CARS The most outstanding innovation in 1938 cars according to reports from America will be the automatic J ear shift. It is generally believed that within two years the manual system of gear-changing will have disappeared entirely. At least eight American companies are already prepared to provide changes in transmission that will lighten the work of the driver. Not all of them truly automatic. Some are pre-selective, with the control on the side of the steering-wheel. On the Hudson this is known as the electric hand and the miniature gear lever is flicked into position with one finger. On some of the other American models the change is more definitely automatic, being governed by engine speed. Not only are the motor companies trying to simplify the operation of a car, but they are also trying to give the front seat riders more room for the sake of comfort and safety. • Once the automatic gear shift is established as a definite part of motor equipment, manufacturers believe it. is certain to be universally ■ adopted. For a time it is likely to remain on the majority of cars as an item for which there is some extra charge. Like other improvements, it will benefit eventually from quantity production, until it has become part and parcel of the stock car. Another important alteration in designs is expected in the matter of springing. Manufacturers are moving in the direction of independent springing at the four wheels. One make of car next year will have coil springs back and front, eliminating the leaf springs entirely. The rear axle will be conventional and the conventional torque tube drive will be retained. Detroit reports state that the big coil springs will lend themselves very nicely to the application of the new low pressure direct acting shock absorbers. Stability will be provided by a sway bar of special design. One of the independent companies will use leaf springs of special design incorporating some features that provide controlled functionless characteristics. The aim of the designers is to provide a suspension having the desirable characteristics of four-wheel independent springing and none of what are regarded as its present disadvantages.