Automatic cars accounted for 54% of sales this year

Cars that have an automatic transmission accounted for 54% of sales this year and as a result have overtaken cars with a clutch pedal, according to the Automotive Platform (PFA). This is a first in France, reports
RTL, Wednesday.

According to Rodolphe Chevalier, product manager at Volkswagen, this increase does not only concern a few models, but all cars. “Today, we are 64% automatic gearboxes on our vehicles, against 20% in 2012,” he explained. As the demand for self-driving cars increases as well. And especially in terms of consumption.

An increase in sales caused by the arrival of 100% electric vehicles

“We are even achieving lower consumption for these automatic transmissions, capable of changing the gear at a better time than humans can,” added Rodolphe Chevalier. The arrival of 100% electric and hybrid vehicles would also be a reason for the great success of cars with automatic gearboxes.

“I had a little trouble at the beginning because switching from manual to automatic is always weird, but in the end I realize that it is still very practical, especially in traffic jams”, said a customer, right after buying a Renault Zoe. So, with this craze for electric and hybrid cars, France should go from 54 to 85% of automatic transmissions on new cars by 2030.