Automatic transmission

Cutaway view of a 2007 Toyota AA80E hydraulic automatic
Gear selector of a 1992 Ford Escort with automatic transmission

An automatic transmission (AT) or automatic gearbox is a multi-speed transmission used in motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver other than throttle position to change forward gears under normal driving conditions.

The 1904 Sturtevant "horseless carriage gearbox" is often considered to be the first true automatic transmission. The first mass-produced automatic transmission was General Motors' Hydra-Matic, introduced in Oldsmobile models for the 1940 model year.

Automatic transmissions are especially prevalent in vehicular drivetrains, particularly those subject to intense mechanical acceleration and frequent idle/transient operating conditions; commonly commercial/passenger/utility vehicles, such as buses and waste collection vehicles.

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