The variety of transmissions available in the market today has grown exponentially within the last 15 years, all while increasing in complexity. The result is usually that we are now coping with a varied quantity of transmission types including manual, conventional automatic, automatic manual, dual clutch, constantly adjustable, split power and pure EV.
Until very recently, automotive vehicle producers largely had two types of transmission to choose from: planetary automatic with torque converter or conventional manual. Today, nevertheless, the volume of choices available demonstrates the changes seen across the industry.

That is also illustrated by the many different types of vehicles now being manufactured for the market. And not merely conventional vehicles, but also all electric and hybrid automobiles, with each type needing different driveline architectures.

The traditional development process involved designing a transmission in isolation from the engine and the rest of the powertrain and vehicle. However, this is changing, with the limitations and complications of the method becoming more widely recognized, and the continuous drive among manufacturers and designers to deliver optimal efficiency at reduced weight and cost.

New powertrains feature close integration of components like the prime mover, recovery systems and the gearbox, and also rely on highly advanced control systems. That is to guarantee that the very best degree of efficiency and performance is delivered all the time. Manufacturers are under improved pressure to create powertrains that are brand new, different from and much better than the last version-a proposition that’s made more complex by the necessity to integrate brand elements, differentiate within the market and do everything on a shorter timescale. Engineering groups are on deadline, and the development process needs to be better and fast-paced than ever before.
Until now, the utilization of computer-aided engineering (CAE) has been the most common way to build up drivelines. This process involves components and subsystems designed in isolation by silos within the business that lean toward verified component-level analysis tools. While they are highly advanced equipment that enable users to extract extremely dependable and accurate data, they remain presenting data that’s collected without concern of the whole system.

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