What does AT mean in cars?
2 Answers
AT in cars refers to automatic transmission. Here is an introduction to automatic transmission: 1. The gears of an automatic transmission are divided into P, R, N, D, 2, 1 or L, etc. 2. The advantage of this transmission is its relatively stable technology; the main disadvantages are higher costs and greater development difficulty. However, as the most mature transmission technology among automatic transmissions, AT automatic transmissions still have broad development prospects in the future. 3. The core of automatic transmission lies in achieving automatic gear shifting. Automatic gear shifting means that while the car is in motion, the driver operates the accelerator pedal as needed during driving, and the automatic transmission can automatically shift into different gears based on the engine load and the car's operating conditions.
I've been driving for over 20 years, and AT stands for automatic transmission. The biggest difference from manual transmission is that you don't need to press the clutch to shift gears—it's all done automatically by the hydraulic system and electronic controls. The principle relies on a torque converter to transfer power, and the onboard computer selects the appropriate gear based on speed and throttle input. Nowadays, common configurations include 6AT, 8AT, and even 10AT. More gears mean smoother acceleration and better fuel efficiency at high speeds. However, automatic transmissions are complex and expensive to repair, and their transmission efficiency is slightly lower than manual transmissions. But they're incredibly convenient for daily driving, especially in traffic jams where frequent shifting isn't required, making them ideal for novice drivers. If you're buying a used car, pay attention to the transmission fluid color—if it's black, you should change the fluid immediately for maintenance.
