Smart, Smooth UltraShift Plus Made for Off-Road

摘要

Eaton Corp. has been working on automated mechanical transmissions for more than 30 years, starting in the 1970s when the U.S. Army wanted an alternative to the synchro-mesh manuals on its medium- and heavy duty trucks. Eaton briefly marketed a hydraulically operated AMT in the late ' 80s but withdrew it when it proved troublesome.rnAlmost a decade later came the AutoShift, with electronic controls that "talked" to engine controls; it changed gears automatically but required the driver to use a manual clutch while stopping or starting out from a stand-still. A few more years of development yielded theUltraShift, with an automated clutch and transmission both; it's called a "two-pedal" product because the driver operates the accelerator and brake pedals but no clutch pedal. It, too, had serious glitches, which engineers gradually eliminated but which caused initially enthusiastic fleet people to back away.