Are trucks in real life mostly automatic or manual?

[Cornelius Edgerton]

in Europe, more specifically.

[luZk]

I think it depends on where you work tbh.

if you're a owner operator jeg might go for the stick gear.
If you're a large transport business with hired drivers you may favour automatic for fuel economy ect.

[luZk]

Also some stick shifters have automated gearboxes, not to be confused with automatic gearboxes.

[Sandhill]

The vast majority of newly manufactured transport industry trucks use automated transmissions

[luZk]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XkzgvgGKuY

[Lexor76]

Name of the game: EURO Truck Simulator 2
OP specifically asks about EUROPEAN Trucks

luZk: "Ah f... it, I'll talk about american trucks and post links about american trucks" 🤦‍♂️

[Sandhill]

Originally posted by Lexor76:

Name of the game: EURO Truck Simulator 2
OP specifically asks about EUROPEAN Trucks

luZk: "Ah f... it, I'll talk about american trucks and post links about american trucks" 🤦‍♂️

Either American manufactured or European manufactured, though, I think the trend is the same, automated is the present and future, manual is the past

[mojo_musica]

They are automated manual gearboxes mostly, as that way the engine runs in the most economic and powerful rev band all the time. Also the reason there are so many gears and splitters on trucks. Operators want the most productivity per litre of diesel, manufacturers want to stay within the legal limits for pollution, CO2, Carbon monoxide, particulates etc.
American manuals are very dated, they are the most inefficient trucks going, their future is limited, legislation will rule them out soon. European trucks are far more eco-friendly.

[Lexor76]

TBH I don't think it's the same, from what I hear you don't see/get any manuals here in Europe unless it's for a very special task.
And as luZk stated in america there are several owner operators still prefering their manual 18 gears.

[Sandhill]

Originally posted by Lexor76:

And as luZk stated in america there are several owner operators still prefering their manual 18 gears.

No doubt among owner operators, but those OO's that choose manual are becoming a smaller and smaller segment. Among fleet operations manuals would be very rare. I think somewhere around 75% of new American truck production uses automated transmissions.

[CyberSkunk]

**sorry.. i didn't see the poster specify EUROPEAN TRUCKS.. so.. feel free to ignore my answer**
most trucks sold in the US nowadays are automatics. they have made improvements to make them more practical, but the early versions were pretty crappy.
ive heard, that right now, if you want a manual transmission, you have to special order it, and ive also heard, that soon, manuals wont even be an option. (which i am very against) its just one more example of people making rules when they have never once done the job, and don't really know what they're talking about. what looks good on paper, is often impractical in real life.
i haven't actually had the opportunity to drive a newer automatic, so i wont badmouth them too much.
i, for one, think i would still prefer a manual (i like my 13 and 18 speeds), especially in bad weather, like snowstorms.

[Sandhill]

Originally posted by ThunderSkunk:

i, for one, think i would still prefer a manual (i like my 13 and 18 speeds), especially in bad weather, like snowstorms.
:longhaul:

But automated systems can adjust shift points and clutch engagements depending on traction conditions, it depends a lot on how you feel about the computer making decisions for you. More and more they turn out to be right, but of course there will always be those that just want the control, regardless of the outcome.

[[GER] TM]

In Europe , there are no real automatics in use for the kind of trucks we have in the game. Real automatics can be found only in trash trucks here. Most manufacturers dont even produce manuals anymore. Theyre almost always automated manuals nowadays.

[luZk]

Originally posted by Lexor76:

TBH I don't think it's the same, from what I hear you don't see/get any manuals here in Europe unless it's for a very special task.
And as luZk stated in america there are several owner operators still prefering their manual 18 gears.

Iirc the 18 speed is actually half manual half automated, as in gears are manual, low high is automated.

[Lexor76]

Originally posted by luZk:

Iirc the 18 speed is actually half manual half automated, as in gears are manual, low high is automated.

That correlates with a video about how to shift an 18 speed I just watched a couple of days ago, but since I've never seen one in person I wouldn't know if that counts for aal of them.

[Sky_Goddess]

I prefer manual gear since its more fun to drive.
But these days the trucks are with automatic transmissions when rolled off the factory.
I have been driving a lot of trucks with automatic transmission for real.
The Volvo iShift is my all time favourite.