[audioholic]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Maruti Suzuki has released a teaser of what they call EZ Drive which is to be released on the Celerio (global alto replacement, which means it will replace the A-star and the Estilo)

http://www.motoroids.com/news/maruti...-drive-teased/

So at last maruti is getting something "new" to our market instead of the usual facelifts. Sincerely hope this will be niggle free and not another case of the mechatronics. If the hydraulic module fails somehow, then I am sure replacement will be a little expensive thing.

[Rehaan]

At first i thought Maruti would be going for an "automated clutch" system, kinda like this : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ml#post3239891

...but it looks like they are actually going full-blown "AMT", though a few things in the various write ups seem a little unclear to me.

Originally Posted by pgsagar

Isn't AMT Maruti-speak for DSG? VW's DSG, too, is an automated manual. I'm sure Ford's DCT is same, too. Somebody needs to shed more light on these things.

AMT is not Maruti speak for DSG. The key difference here is the number of clutches.

Besides that, you are right in thinking that a DSG/DCT is closer to an Automated Manual than a traditional "torque converter" type automatic.

Originally Posted by wild child

As I type this post, my Alto is being fitted with an AMT system.

Can you please mention what brand it is? Also - does it shift gears for you, or only operate the clutch?

Thanks,
R

[GTO]

One of the rare times that Maruti is bringing new / different / innovative technology.

The tech in Maruti's cars has been standard fare. Nothing different, just the regular boring stuff. Heck, Maruti sat & watched for the longest time before introducing a diesel engine (which was also outsourced).

Nice to see their conservative R&D trying something different. If anyone can popularise AMT in India, and launch it at the right price, it's Maruti.

If they've managed to make it work acceptably well, just imagine the potential of small diesel AMTs!

[noopster]

Originally Posted by GTO

If they've managed to make it work acceptably well, just imagine the potential of small diesel AMTs!

I never thought of that. The other carmakers cry technology when asked why there are no sub-10L diesel autos in the market. Something about torque requirements not matching etc. A diesel AMT would be perfect especially since diesel variants in general have harder clutches than their petrol siblings.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by noopster

I never thought of that. The other carmakers cry technology when asked why there are no sub-10L diesel autos in the market. Something about torque requirements not matching etc. A diesel AMT would be perfect especially since diesel variants in general have harder clutches than their petrol siblings.

If they can make this work reliably with their in-house diesels currently in development to replace the Fiat-sourced MJD, MS can practically kick-start a whole new segment. The affordable (semi)auto-diesel hatch.

[zenren]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

If they can make this work reliably with their in-house diesels currently in development to replace the Fiat-sourced MJD, MS can practically kick-start a whole new segment. The affordable (semi)auto-diesel hatch.

Current Maruti diesels are in the premium hatch and above category where the customers expect a lot of refinement whether it is engine or gearbox. I think that might be one of the reasons why Maruti is trying to introduce it in the entry level segment where the customer would tolerate lack of refinement up to a certain level.

[volkman10]

Originally Posted by zenren

I think that might be one of the reasons why Maruti is trying to introduce it in the entry level segment where the customer would tolerate lack of refinement up to a certain level.

IMO, Maruti would prove their diesel engine in the upcoming LCV before introducing the same in the car segment.

Cheers!

[deetjohn]

I am sitting on the fence with this news on AMT.

I would prefer a fully automatic small car to a slow shifting semi automatic for the city. I had wished for a WagonR with the AT powertrain from A-star. The bombing of StingRay gave me hope. Guess that's a non starter now.

The advantages of AMT are the low cost of acquisition (as per reports) and higher fuel efficiency.

Hope MSIL doesn't pull the plug on the K10B 4 speed auto when this AMT is launched.

[Shadowbane]

Originally Posted by tj123

Looks like the Indian car market is really maturing as Maruti is bringing Automated Manual Transmission (AMT), which is a clutch less transmission with manual gears. This technology is developed by Magneti Marelli , it is based on an electronic control unit and a hydraulic system that supervise the use of the clutch and the gear shifting, allowing the driver to change gear without using the clutch, either sequentially or fully automatically.

Read article in ET
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/auto/automobiles/maruti-to-raise-the-bar-with-new-clutch-less-car-to-be-unveiled-at-delhi-auto-expo-2014/articleshow/28451302.cms

Good news that India's most loved car manufacturer is bringing in modern AT technology, a huge step in making automatics affordable. Is the excitement just about that or something else? I'm lost here, because this technology is not new to us or is it? Isn't AMT similar to the Honda's Automatic with paddles or the skoda's or the others?

[srishiva]

Since its not a full automatic, drivers still need to know how to use it since they need to shift it at the right rpm/load. Hopefully this doesn't discourage people from buying it. I would take it as a intermediate hack to make things a little easier.

[noopster]

Originally Posted by srishiva

Since its not a full automatic, drivers still need to know how to use it since they need to shift it at the right rpm/load. Hopefully this doesn't discourage people from buying it. I would take it as a intermediate hack to make things a little easier.

The AMT would likely be targeted at people who already know how to drive a stick shift. Someone who is already "converted" to ATs will probably find an AMT a step back rather than forward.

[lordrayden]

Originally Posted by srishiva

Since its not a full automatic, drivers still need to know how to use it since they need to shift it at the right rpm/load. Hopefully this doesn't discourage people from buying it. I would take it as a intermediate hack to make things a little easier.

I see carwale saying "It allows the driver to change gear without using the clutch, either sequentially or fully automatically." in their article about the EZ Drive.

Also, the ET story quotes a senior Maruti executive saying "Customers can change gears like any automatic transmission car but the cost of this will be like a regular manual-geared car"

Presumably, this would mean that the user can drive it either one of two modes, as a clutch-less manual or a full automatic. Please correct me if my understanding is wrong.

[srishiva]

Originally Posted by lordrayden

I see carwale saying "It allows the driver to change gear without using the clutch, either sequentially or fully automatically." in their article about the EZ Drive.

Also, the ET story quotes a senior Maruti executive saying "Customers can change gears like any automatic transmission car but the cost of this will be like a regular manual-geared car"

Presumably, this would mean that the user can drive it either one of two modes, as a clutch-less manual or a full automatic. Please correct me if my understanding is wrong.

After reading this http://www.magnetimarelli.com/excell...xcellences/amt

I guess I was wrong. Its not just a user controlled system. It can act on its own too and the article mentions the dreaded 'mechanotronic' as another version/implementation where the electronic and mechanical things are married into a single unit.

So its a damn good single clutch automatic with manual control

[tj123]

Some more news on the Maruti Celerio's which is going to launch AMT Transmission- EZ Drive

http://www.zigwheels.com/news-featur...z-drive/17648/

[aditya79india]

Would Maruti be so naive to introduce such an awkward system? None of their earlier products has been exactly awkward. In all probability, their AMT system would have the full look and feel of a conventional automatic, down to the layout and functioning of the gear shift lever. A little bit of quirkiness of the AMT aside, it should also function very smoothly.