In essence the iMT is nothing but a manual gearbox without the clutch. The gear selector is still there and you still need to move the knob into place, but the car does the clutch work for you.
Hyundai has just revealed details of the new gearbox option on the Hyundai Venue called the Intelligent Manual Transmission.
In essence the iMT is nothing but a manual gearbox without the clutch. The gear selector is still there and you still need to move the knob into place, but the car does the clutch work for you.
This is almost like an Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) gearbox. In an AMT however, actuators do the job of both operating the clutch and changing the gears. There is also a manual mode which allows you to change gears using a + and – symbol on the gearstick to go up and down the gears respectively.
The iMT is different as the gear selector is the same as in a conventional manual transmission car. The only difference is that there is no clutch pedal. A computer and a actuators control the clutch, and there is no need for you to lift your leg off the accelerator either.
Unlike an AMT gearbox however, the iMT cannot shift gears of its own accord, at least not in Hyundai’s unit. On the bright side, you always know which gear you are on rather than rely on a computer to tell you your best choice. On the downside, just like an AMT, gearshifts aren't as smooth and as quick as you'd like.
Back at the Auto Expo, Kia had also announced the same system for the upcoming Sonet, but the Venue will be the first to bring this to the Indian market.