3. Transmission classification

There are several possible ways of classifying automotive transmissions. Figure 12 proposes a tree structure based on the fundamental notions of discrete ratios, continuous variation or hybrids, which are then broken down into transmission types (manual, automatic, etc.), each of which may cover different technologies (AT, DCT, CVT, etc.). Performance is not absent from this classification, and is reflected in the notion of "torque interruption", the source of vibratory discomfort when shifting gears. Incidentally, there's nothing to prevent you from "entering" the tree on the right-hand side, with the classification of technologies based on the performance linked to torque (non-)continuity.