What is a Column Shifter?
1 Answers
Column shifter refers to the gear lever located below the steering wheel in a vehicle. It is vividly named "column shifter" because the shifting action involves pulling the lever toward the driver's chest. Its gear arrangement pattern is the same as that of a conventional automatic transmission. Vehicles with column shifters generally adopt automatic transmission designs. Below is additional information: 1. Vehicle Models: American cars more commonly feature column shifters. The gear arrangement pattern is identical to regular automatic transmissions. Most column shifters are found in automatic transmission vehicles. In China, typical American models with column shifters include the Buick GL8 and older Regal models; German Mercedes-Benz also employs column shifters in series such as C, E, R, S, ML, and GL; British Rolls-Royce's three currently available models (Phantom, Ghost, Wraith) also use column shifters. 2. Disadvantages of Column Shifters: Since traditional gear levers are mechanical, the transmission is usually positioned centrally behind the engine in the vehicle. Floor-mounted shifters can utilize relatively simple mechanical linkages to connect to the transmission. If a column shifter is used, the lever must connect to the transmission through a mechanism several times more complex, or the transmission needs to be placed closer to the shifter. Both solutions can lead to an increase in engine compartment size, encroaching on passenger space, which are obviously not cost-effective measures.
