Europeans Go the American Way, Ford Says They Are Abandoning the Stick

It is all artfully arranged with slideshows – Ford has summed up everything and according to their sales data more and more Europeans go for the automatic option instead of the good-old manual.

This might have to do with a few easy to understand factors, boiling down at the end of the day to convenience and comfort. But there are more aspects to take into consideration.

European cities are smaller and sometimes beat their U.S. counterparts in terms of congestion, so a manual could be a nightmare at times. Then, the technology has reached new levels when it comes to the accessibility, reliability, and efficiency of automatic transmissions.

Because of that and probably some other factors, the level of confidence in automatic transmissions has grown accordingly across the Old Continent. Comparing sales results from the past three years, Ford noticed how deliveries of automatic-equipped cars have jumped threefold – from 10.4% back in 2017 to 31.3 percent at the start of 2020.

Ford has been selling vehicles with automatic transmissions for seven decades already, though today’s technology has almost no comparison to its initial Ford-O-Matic three-gear auto. Today, the company enables remote engine start through its app, automatic parking capabilities or stop-and-go Adaptive Cruise Control, among others.

Besides, the sales succcess of the automatic transmission might also have to do with the expanding availability of this technology. Ford is now offering automatic options on the Fiesta and Puma models as well.

Their conclusion – the rate of adoption for the automatic transmission is also beneficial towards the upcoming introduction of more and more electrified vehicles as well as the future breakthrough of autonomous driving.

For more information on the Ford auto vs. manual statistics, check the press release section below.