What is the difference between a CVT and an automatic transmission?

[Ellen]

There is no difference between a CVT and an automatic transmission, as both belong to the category of automatic transmissions. In an automatic transmission, each gear is controlled by a set of clutch plates to achieve the shifting function. The structure of a CVT is simpler than that of a traditional transmission, with a more compact size. It does not have the multiple gear pairs of a manual transmission or the complex planetary gear sets of an automatic transmission. Instead, it primarily relies on two sets of variable pulleys to achieve continuously variable speed ratios. An automatic transmission simply changes the shifting direction of a manual transmission into a linear motion, enabling automatic movement in terms of direction, but it still shifts gears step by step from low to high speeds. In a CVT, the incremental and decremental gear indicators are no longer visible externally; only directional differences such as forward and reverse can be seen. A CVT provides smoother performance than an automatic transmission during high-speed overtaking and high-speed cornering.