A Brief History of the Automatic Transmission

By Mister Transmission

No more missed shift gates. No engine lugging or racing. No torn-stocking, high-heel clutch-pedaling dramas. None of that. Just press the gas and go.

 

The introduction of the automatic transmission did this by offering a “no-muss, no-fuss” form of shifting. The earliest automobiles offered only manual transmissions, which were similar in principle to today’s stick-shift vehicles. These cars sported two forward gears and one reverse, coupled to the engine via a series of pedals. But as cars grew larger and traffic got worse, engineers began searching for a way to have the car “automatically” shift from one gear to another. Designers spent decades perfecting the modern automatic transmission. Here we offer a brief introduction and overview of the history of the automatic transmission.

The First Automatic Transmissions

The first automatic transmission was invented in 1921 by a Canadian steam engineer, Alfred Horner Munro. Munro designed his device to use compressed air rather than hydraulic fluid so it lacked power and never became sold commercially. General Motors then developed the first automatic transmission using hydraulic fluid in the 1930’s, and introduced the “Hydra-Matic” transmission in 1940.

The 1948 Oldsmobile was the first model to use a true automatic transmission. The Hyrda-Matic, developed by GM engineer, Earl Thompson, was advertised as: “The greatest advance since the self-starter.” The Hydra-Matic went through continual upgrading and refinements through 1955, but the basic design and theory used were consistent throughout its remarkably long life span. General Motors replaced the Hydra-Matic in 1956 with the Jetaway. The “Jet” was not a roaring success and quickly gave way to the Turbo Hydra-Matic in 1969.

The Hydra-Matic Transmission

The original Hydra-Matic transmission was one of the most important innovations in the history of the automobile. It wasn’t the first automatic transmission, but it was the first one that really worked and its resounding commercial success paved the way for every subsequent autoshifter.

The technology came along at an opportune time in history as North America was abundant with victory from World War II and building up steam for the post-war boom. Scads of babies and cars were produced (not necessarily in that order). Into those cars they dropped thousands of automatic transmissions. With its simplicity and ease of use, the automatic transmission offered up the automobile to the masses, fulfilling the promise of President Hoover, whom a generation earlier had promised “a car in every garage and a chicken in every pot.” At the very least it widened the perspective of an increasingly mobile workforce, fed the flow of migration to the suburbs, and welcomed women back into the economy following the war effort.

The most significant changes/improvements in automatic transmission design to date are the number of forward gears transmissions now have and the switch from mechanically controlled to electronically controlled transmission operations. Mechanically controlled automatic transmissions have reached their limit in terms of future improvements while electronically (or computer) controlled automatic gearboxes have only touched the surface of the possibilities.

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Customer Reviews
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Richard Mintah
I just wanted to write something for everyone to know, there is still good peoples out there, but it took God direction to meet them. I met Aki and his team, this guy's are awesome, infact they are doing a great job. I would recommend mister transmission Dixie road to everyone who need to fixed their car and you will never regret.
Date: March 10, 2024
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Really great and professional service....
Viv Naidoo
Really great and professional service. Aki does well to explain what's wrong and they had my vehicle sorted out on time and professionally. Highly recommend
Date: March 10, 2024
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These guys are great!!! I...
Paul Poirier
These guys are great!!! I had an issue with my transmission called them and they got me in the same day. They had the issue diagnosed in minutes. Solved the problem and got me out in the same day. Really impressed and will go to them first if I ever have a transmission issue again. Thank you!!!
Date: March 9, 2024
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Very reliable and helpful place...
-Courteney -
Very reliable and helpful place to go get your transmission work done. They stay within the quote they give you before tax. 10/10 recommend these gentleman helping you out.
Date: March 9, 2024
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Had a great experience here...
Brooke Berkech
Had a great experience here at mister transmission. great customer service and kind gentleman. highly recommended for any transmission issues you have:)
Date: March 8, 2024
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There is customer service and...
Pam Shere
There is customer service and then there is amazing customer service. These guys have the amazing. I can't say enough good things. I can always rely on staff to give me an honest assessment, and show me what is going on, and treat me well during the experience. I never feel like a woman being taken advantage of. The staff makes me feel welcome, almost like a part of their own family. The prices are fair, the shop is clean, and the location is easy to access. Even if you just need to come in for an assessment or to investigate what is going on, these guys have you covered. I highly recommend.
Date: March 8, 2024
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best transmission shop around
Jordan Leslie
best transmission shop around
Date: March 7, 2024
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Thanks a lot Ken. I've...
Igor Nikolaenko
Thanks a lot Ken. I've just bought a used Subaru and it was shaking on acceleration. I thought that it was a transmission, but after Ken diagnose the car it was 5th cylinder misfire. Much cheaper fix.
Date: March 7, 2024
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Friendly, professional staff from start...
Rhonda Holland
Friendly, professional staff from start to finish. On time and very knowledgeable. Knew what the issue with my Acura was and fixed it.
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The service was great I...
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The service was great I got my car fixed less than the expected time.and the price was very low compared to other service providers.highly recommended
Date: March 6, 2024
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