Difference between IMT, DCT and IVT Advantages & Disadvantages

IMT

IMT is known as an intelligent manual transmission. It is a manual gearbox consisting of gears or gear level which allows you to shift gears without pressing the clutch as it does not have a clutch pedal. It only has brake and accelerated pedals.

Description:

Intelligent manual transmission is an automatic gearbox or a manual. However, it is also not fully automatic as the driver has to change gears manually. It is currently available in the Hyundai venue SUV and soon also in KIA-Sonnet. IMT is the next big gearbox technology in Indian cars after AMT.

To put it simply imagine you are driving a car with a manual gearbox so usually when you change gears you press the clutch pedal to take your foot off the accelerator and shift the gear with the help of the gear knob. In a car with IMT technology, there is no clutch car pedal so your left foot is resting while driving. When you do feel the need to change gears just slot the gear knob into the desired position and shift up or down like you normally would the gear knob will have the traditional H pattern which is seen on almost all manual cars and also there will be just two pedals the foot-well, the accelerator, and the brake pedal.

Is IMT a good option?

With the Hyundai venue already available with an IMT transmission. The future of this clutch-less automatic looks bright and promising. In fact, the KIA-Sonnet will also come with an IMT transmission. The biggest advantage can be that it will be easier to drive in traffic also when you will shift gears you will still get the feel of a manual car. Again due to the electronically controlled clutch operation the IMT technology is said to offer better fuel efficiency. It will take some time to get used to it but it will be a more comfortable driving experience.

Advantages of IMT:

• The IMT offers a better drive experience as compared to the manual transmission.
• It is cheaper than most automatic transmissions.
• Maintenance of IMT is also reasonable.
• There should be no major jerks or lags while shifting gears.
• IMT cars are available with paddle shifters.
• It provides good fuel efficiency.

Disadvantages of IMT:

• The gear shifting in the IMT is similar to that of the manual transmission.
• IMT is expensive as compared to the manual transmission.
• The reliability of this transmission is poor

DCT

DCT is known as a dual-clutch transmission. It works by using two clutches instead of one and both are computer controlled. These computers eliminate the need for the driver to manually change gears and the entire process is automated.

Description:

It is a type of multi-speed vehicle transmission system that uses two separate clutches for odd and even gear sets. The design is often similar to that of two separate manual transmissions with their respective clutched within the housing and operating as a single unit. In car and truck, the DCTs acts as automatic transmission and does not require the driver to manually switch from one gear to another instead the gear selection process is automated.

The magic of dual-clutch transmission is that it can switch from one gear to another very quickly. The rapid shifting is possible because in the DCT one gear is engaged in one of the two internal transmissions with the next gear pre-selected in the other of the two internal transmissions and ready for intermediate engagement. This transition from one gear to another takes milliseconds making gear changes with DCT much faster than with the traditional manual transmission or a conventional automatic transmission. This is especially helpful in performance in racing cars where split seconds can be the difference between winning and losing.

The basic principle of DCT is that one clutch drives a gear set for even numbered gears while the other clutch drives an odd-numbered gear. Since the DCT can pre-select an odd gear while the vehicle is being driven in an even gear or vice versa. To engage the operation of one clutch at exactly the moment the other is disengaging a DCT can shift gears without interrupting the torque supply to the wheels. The DCT clutches are either wet or dry and are similar to the clutches used in most motorcycles. The wet clutches are bathed in oil to provide for the clutch surface therefore wet clutches are often used in applications with higher torque loads such as the engine in the Bugatti Veyron.

Is DCT manual or automatics?

A DCT can act as an automatic transmission but it can be both. In the typical DCT when diving in automatic mode the transmission will pre-select the next gear and then perform all the actions necessary to change between gears. As part of the automatic operation, a modern DCT can also operate as a clutch-less manual. This means the driver can manually select the next gear using paddle shifters usually on the steering wheel. The driver is not required to use the clutch pedal or actuate the clutch in any way. Manual shifting enables very rapid up and down gear changes and gives the driver complete control over transmission behavior.

Advantages of DCT:

• DCT provides fast and smooth gear shifting.
• There is no rpm and torque loss when shifting gears.
• It enhances the overall vehicle performance.
• This transmission provides superior ride and handling along with an excellent driving experience.

Disadvantages of DCT:

• DCT is very expensive as compared to other transmissions.
• It is heavy and adds a lot of weight to the body.
• Require regular maintenance.
• High fuel consumption.
• Difficult mechanisms to repair spare parts are also expensive

IVT

IVT is known as intelligent variable transmission. It performs continuous shifts as you drive in your vehicle. It changes ratio faster than a traditional automatic transmission by allowing the wheels to move much faster than automatics.

Description:

The HYUNDAI brand introduced a new IVT which aims to improve the fuel economy of equipped vehicles. The IVT offers a smoother and more responsive drive on the road than an automatic transmission. An IDT changes the ratio faster that allowing the wheels to move much more than automatics. This quick power results in an incredibly smooth and responsive drive on the road allowing for one of the most comfortable driving experiences available.

The new IVT is similar to the CVT which performs continuous shifts to provide better efficiency over the automatic transmission. It does this by modifying the pressure of the pulley system in the transmission adjusting the pressure based on the driver’s input and driving conditions. In automatics, this temporarily disconnects the vehicle’s engine from the driveline while shifting gears resulting in an interruption in forwarding motion but in IVT it performs in such a way that there is little or no loss of speed when the system changes the gear throughout the drive.

The pulley system used by it has a wider ratio than many other similar transmission systems which is directly related to a much wider ratio of operation. This is why fuel efficiency is increased at higher gear ratios yet performance improves at the lower end.

IVT is for those customers who want a car that can be driven very smoothly through city traffic. It is a better choice for transmission in terms of fuel efficiency but not in performance. It is a cheaper option as compared to DCT.

Advantages of IVT:

• IVT is less expensive than DCT
• City drive with this transmission is very relaxed and comfortable.
• Fuel efficient
• IVTs are cheaper than automatic cars
• The paddle shifters are also available with IVT transmission

Disadvantages of IVT:

• The IVT mechanism is complex and expensive to repair.
• Maintenance is also more expensive.