Hyundai will enter the AMT segment within the next few years and is likely to build the gearboxes in house. Currently, a majority of the AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) powered cars in the Indian market source their gearboxes from Magneti Marelli or Ricardo. This move to build them in house will allow the South Korean manufacturer to price the AMT equipped cars competitively when they are launched.
Reports suggest that the their compact SUV will be one of the first models to debut the AMT. This is expected to be sometime in 2018 and will be derived from the Carlino model that was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo. We believe that this will be followed by an AMT powered variant of the Eon, the only model in the Hyundai stable that is currently not offered with an AMT option. With a surge in demand for automatic options over the last two years, this seems like the right time for Hyundai to enter the two-pedal fray.
To recap, an automated manual transmission is where the car uses a conventional clutch operated gearbox but with a computer controlled hydraulic mechanism to perform the actions that pressing the clutch would normally entail. On our growingly congested roads this has become popular option as it gives of ease of driving as well as better fuel efficiency.
