Quote:
Originally Posted by masraum
My wife thinks that she is better with a manual trans, because it forces here to be more "present" in the driving. With an auto, she's more free to start thinking about other stuff.
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I think that's a hugely valid point. With a manual, to keep up with traffic & road conditions, you are the one who has to keep the car in the right gear (and rev range). With a modern automatic (that's what we're comparing here--not the slushboxes from decades ago), the car magically does everything correctly for you. Which means you, as the driver, aren't forced to maintain as high a level of situational awareness. Human behavior being human behavior, I think that's a big safety issue the author neglects.
I'm also not convinced about the fantasmic environmental savings he touts auto boxes (and electric cars) to hold. While modern auto boxes get as good (or sometimes even better fuel mileage) than manual offerings on paper, there's the complete lack of consideration for human nature and personal driving habits that makes a much bigger determination on actual fuel mileage. Remember that Top Gear where the M3 got better gas mileage around the test track than the Prius? And the supposed planet-saving greenness of electric cars over their ICE counterparts is whole 'nother debate.
And if for nothing else, the manual transmission in my cars serves as my automotive fidget spinner. It keeps me entertained not only on curvy roads, but also in the daily slog through rush hour traffic. It's better than texting or watching a streamed TV show while driving, right?