It is predicted that drivetrain technologies are expected to face significant alterations regarding dimensions, packaging and gearing as electrification trend continues to gain power in the automotive industry.

With a price tag reaching almost $60 grand, the new Chevy Stingray is an undisputed performance car bargain. However, as it has been recently discovered, now you can buy a dedicated Corvette dragster for $12,000 less than the Stingray. This car is claimed to cover the quarter-mile distance in only 7.5 secs.

Automotive engineers have always been involved in a constant search for an innovative solution that can solve the problem of varying the gear between the driving and the driven members in a vehicle automatically and in an infinite number of different ratios. Long before the arrival of continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), engineers had something to offer in this field.

We get used to newspaper headlines such as “Manuals are dying”, “Stick shift is going extinct”, “Stick shift sales keep falling”, but it should not be assumed that the development curve of manual transmissions stopped at 4-5-speed units without any smart technologies. In reality, modern manual transmissions also can be equipped with a variety of remarkable features.

It seems like dedicated fans of the Corvette family put up with the fact that there won’t be a manual option for the C8 generation of the Chevrolet Corvette. In a recent interview, Tadge Juechter, the head of the Corvette Engineering Department, confirmed that the decision to stick with the automatic transmission option only for the C8 is backed by vital arguments.

Drive System Design (DSD), a British engineering consulting company focused on development of innovative powertrain solutions, takes the lead in a new initiative aimed to set a new standard for operating efficiency of the integrated electric drive unit (EDU) of EVs.

ZF, the German manufacturer of automatic transmissions and related parts, has designed a cutting-edge hybrid driveline for an annual rally raid Dakar. ZF, in collaboration with MKR Technology, has integrated the new driveline into the Riwald Dakar team’s truck. This advanced technology was specifically designed for this racing competition.

Transtar Industries, a major supplier of aftermarket transmission components, has entered into partnership relations with ProfitBoost Software LLC. This cooperation implies the integration of Transtar’s special eCommerce platform, named transend, with ProfitBoost’s shop management software, making transmission parts and driveline-related products more accessible to a bigger number of potential customers.

It seems that scandalous newspaper headlines related to the ill-fated Powershift (DPS6) transmission are not going to stop haunting Ford in the near future. Moreover, several Ford ex-workers recently confirmed that the defectiveness of this transmission was not a big secret even during a testing stage of this unit. And now a new story hit the headlines.

The FCA’s automotive investment program covering the period until 2023 implies the discontinuation of what is known as a time-proven industry veteran: the 4-speed Ultradrive automatic transmission. It is not surprising that time of this famous unit comes to an end, as more stringent CO2 emission rules require the use of more efficient transmissions, which, in turn, implies more gears.

Recently, Top Gear arranged an exciting speed competition between the Tesla Model S Performance and the new Porsche Taycan Turbo S. Despite the fact that the Tesla had an edge in weight and power, the German car came out victorious in the 0-60 sprint. The secret of this result lies in one important powertrain difference between these two great cars, namely the transmission unit.

Allison Transmission encourages European owners of construction fleets and vehicle manufacturers to consider Allison’s transmission solutions with their operating and TCO (total cost of ownership) as a viable alternative to AMTs (automatic manual transmissions) commonly used in this segment.

GKN Automotive has recently embarked upon implementation of the new stage in its electrification initiative. The major supplier of AWD and electric driveline solutions is currently working on standardization of P4 e-drive systems for environmentally friendly types of vehicles, with the aim to cut expenses and provide performance gains.

GM has recently filed an application for a patent on a method for controlling the transmission of a car by using a prognostic road curvature feature, coming with a front-facing camera.

With the purpose of strengthening its potential in the field of AI technologies, Aisin Seiki plans to construct the Hakata Laboratory in Fukuoka. The project is expected to be implemented in May 2020.