(Updated on December 31, 2019)

Another type of transmission is the “dry” DCT or DDCT (Dry Dual Clutch Transmission). Although controls of the DDCT are nothing like those of the DCT, internally both models function the same relating to gears, shafts, synchros etc. As with the wet DCT, the DDCT also uses a dual-clutch assembly, although they are not the same. A dual-clutch transmission is one approach to an automatic transmission. Think of it as a manual transmission controlled by a computer, but instead of one clutch, it has two. One clutch controls the even gears, and the other controls the odd gears. Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) DCTs are also known as semi-automatic transmissions, and that’s because they are in essence automated manual transmissions.

DCT stands for Dual Clutch Transmission, but that alone doesn’t fully explain it. A DCT is a type of Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) that has two clutches instead of just one. They are gaining. The dual-clutch automatic is a development of the sequential manual transmission (SMT), which is essentially a fully automated manual transmission with a computer-controlled clutch, intended to deliver stick-shift performance with automatic convenience.

The dual clutch transmission (DCT) is referred to by several names including double-clutch transmission and twin-clutch transmission.

A regular manual transmission vehicle would use one clutch and a clutch pedal. The dual clutch transmission uses two separate clutches with no clutch pedal.

Since there is no clutch pedal, the clutches are controlled through hydraulics and advanced computer electronics. This is the same technology that you’d find in some of today’s newer automatic transmission vehicles.

Top 5 Advantages of a Dual Clutch Transmission

Below are the top 5 advantages of using a vehicle with a dual clutch transmission.

1) Faster Acceleration

Many people who have driven double clutch transmission vehicles have said love how the car accelerates. This is due to the gears being able to change almost instantly and allowing you to accelerate in far less time than the same vehicle with a manual or automatic transmission instead.

You can upshift in just a few milliseconds, creating a dynamic and smooth acceleration experience.

2) No Shift Shock

Both manual transmission and regular automatic transmission vehicles will often generate a jolt each time a gear is changed, especially if accelerating heavily. This jolt is called shift shock and it can be quite annoying.

Picture the occupants of a tuner car as the driver accelerates quickly to get on the freeway. With each hard gear shift, each persons’ head slams forward and back.

Fortunately, double clutch vehicles do not have this shift shock when gears are changed. The shift changes are hardly noticeably.

3) Fuel Economy

There is no interruption when energy flows to the transmission from the engine. Because of this, the fuel economy of the vehicle becomes greatly improved. With the enhanced fuel economy, you will also have better fuel efficiency too.

4) No Clutch Pedal

Many people who prefer manual transmissions for their fuel economy and faster acceleration will love dual clutch automatic transmissions since you don’t have to worry about operating a clutch pedal. It’s a fact that a dual clutch will shift quicker than even the best short throw manual shifter.

You’ll have more room in the foot well without the third pedal making driving for long periods more comfortable. Of course, purists will still prefer a clutch pedal and there’s nothing wrong with that.

5) Driver Options

Drivers can even select whether they want the central computer to control the shifting or if they want to use manual paddle shifters or another semi-manual mode for a more involved driving experience.

Most dual clutch vehicles also offer different driving modes at the push of a button which affect the vehicle’s shift points. Set it to sport mode to hold gears longer resulting in better acceleration, economy mode to prioritize taller gears for better fuel economy, or other modes in between. The decision is yours.

Top 5 Disadvantages of a Dual Clutch Transmission

Dual clutch transmissions are definitely not perfect though. Below are the top 5 disadvantages of this technology

1) Higher Vehicle Cost

You can’t expect to find a dual clutch vehicle to be priced the same as an economy car. It costs manufacturers a lot more money to produce these vehicles on the assembly line. This makes the final vehicle a lot more expensive to consumers.

So, if you’re counting your dollars closely, then you might be turned off by this vehicle’s price. Many vehicle models offer more than one type of available transmission so you can easily see the price difference and whether it’s worth it.

2) Maintenance and Repair Cost

Follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule is important for any car but it’s critical for those with a DCT. For instance, Audi recommends changing the gear oil in their DCT vehicles every 40,000 miles. This is not a cheap service and not something you’ll often with regular transmissions at that interval.

If something does go wrong with a dual clutch transmission, the repair or replacement cost can be ridiculously high and not all auto repair shops may be able to do the work. This is why proper maintenance is so important.

3) Low Selection

Due to the expense of integrating a dual clutch transmission system into a vehicle, many car manufacturers are electing not to use them. That is why most twin clutch transmission systems are found in high-performance cars and luxury cars.

Since most people are not in the market for a high-performance car, so their options are going to be limited here.

4) Not the Same Driving Experience as a Manual

While DCT transmissions have surpassed the fuel efficiency and shifting speed of manual transmissions, they simply don’t provide the same fun driving experience as stick shifts. For some this doesn’t matter, but nothing beats the connectivity a driver has to the road by shifting their own gears.

Sure you may have some type of manual shift mode override (usually in the form of paddle shifters), but ask any driving purist and they’ll tell you it’s just not the same.

5) Slow to Motion

While some dual clutch transmissions are better than others, you may experience a slight lag when going from a static position to a moving position. Once you get moving though, the instantaneous shifting of a DCT takes over.

Conclusion

The dual clutch transmission takes the best features of an automatic and manual and places them into one vehicle. If you don’t mind the higher cost, it is worth considering purchasing your next vehicle with one.

At their core, dual clutch transmissions are a bit of a hybrid of a manual and automatic transmission. They’re more akin to a manual transmission, however, use two clutches (hence dual clutch) to synchronize the gear change.

To better understand how a DCT transmission works, it’s best to understand how a manual transmission works. When using a manual transmission, the driver needs to frequently disengage the clutch to be able to change gears. The clutch works by disconnecting the engine’s drive from the driveline briefly so that the gears can be changed smoothly. A DCT works by using two clutches instead of one, and both are computer controlled, so there’s no need for a clutch pedal.

The dual clutch transmission operates via several in-built computers. These computers eliminate the need for the driver to manually change gears and the entire process is automated. In this respect, a DCT can be looked upon as being similar to an automatic transmission. The main difference is that the DCT operates the odd and even gear numbers separately, which prevents the engine from being disengaged from interrupted power flow when the gears are changed. The core difference between a DCT transmission and an traditional automatic transmission is that the DCT transmission doesn’t use a torque converter.

How Is a DCT Different to an Automatic Transmission?

Dual Clutch Automatic Transmission Meaning

While a dual clutch transmission looks very similar to an automatic transmission cockpit, this is where the similarities end. In fact, a DCT has more in common with a manual transmission than it does with an automatic transmission. One of the main advantages of a dual-clutch transmission is its economical fuel saving benefits. As the flow of power from the engine is not disrupted, the rate of fuel efficiency increases.

It is estimated that a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission is able to increase fuel efficiency by approximately 10% compared with a standard 5 speed automatic transmission. Generally speaking, this is because a torque converter in a typical automatic transmission is designed to slip, so not all of the engine’s power is being transferred to the driveline all of the time, particularly while accelerating.

How Is a DCT Different to a Manual Transmission?

When a driver changes gears using a manual transmission, it take approximately half a second to complete the action. While this may not sound like much, when compared to the 8 milliseconds some DCT vehicles offer the efficiency becomes apparent. The increased speed when changing gears makes a DCT considerably faster than their manual transmission counterparts. In reality, a dual clutch transmission works in the same way that a standard manual transmission does.

It has both auxiliary and input shafts bat house the gears. It also has a clutch and synchronizers. The main difference is that a DCT does not have a clutch pedal. The need for the clutch pedal is eliminated due to the fact that Hydraulics, solenoids, and computers perform the shifting operation. The driver is still able to instruct the computer system when to perform certain actions through buttons, paddles or gear shifts. This ultimately improves the overall driver experience and is considered to be one of the most dynamic types of acceleration available.

How Is a DCT Different to a Continuously Variable Transmission?

Many of today’s cars feature CVT. Continuously variable transmission works by a belt that rotates between two pulleys. As the pulley diameter changes, it allows for many different ratios of the gears. This is where it gets the continuously variable name from. Much like DCT, a CVT eliminates shift shock due to the fact that there are no shifting of the gears required by the driver. As you increase or decrease your speed, the continuously variable transmission will adjust itself accordingly for maximum performance and efficiency.

The main difference between DCT and CVT lie in the type of vehicle that it is installed in. Typically, continuously variable transmission tends to be used in lower performance cars that are manufactured in a higher volume. DCT is more commonly found in high-performance vehicles that are manufactured in a lower volume. Another similarity between DCT and CVT their calls is that they operate with maximum efficiency, especially when it comes to fuel-saving and acceleration.

Is a Dual Clutch Transmission Right for Me?

There are plenty of benefits from opting for a dual clutch transmission. Of course, your own preferences will be a major deciding factor but don’t rule out a DCT without knowing how it can improve your driving experience.

Dual Clutch Automatic Transmission Ford

As dual clutch transmission is still relatively new, many car manufacturers are using their own trademarked names. For Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen it is known as DSG, Hyundai call it EcoShift, Mercedes Benz call it SpeedShift. Ford has named it PowerShift, Porsche calls it PDK, and Audi has branded it as S-tronic. If you see these names associated with any car you are interested in, it means they have a Dual Clutch Transmission.

Improved Acceleration

It takes approximately one-tenth of a second for a dual-clutch transmission to change gears, meaning that the driver experiences improved acceleration. This improved acceleration makes it a popular choice for high-performance cars. While DCT gearboxes have been around for many decades, their use has been reserved mainly for high-performance vehicles involved in motorsport. The superior power and speed offered by dual clutch transmission are now rapidly becoming a popular choice in many new makes and models of car.

How Does A Dual Clutch Automatic Transmission Work

Smoother Gear Changes

Dual Clutch Automatic Transmission Cars

Dual clutch transmission is perfect for performance driving. The computers make changing gears extremely fast and direct. These smooth gear changes eliminate many of the clunking or knocking sounds experienced with manual transmissions.

Dual Clutch Transmission For Sale

Shift shock is a common occurrence with manual transmission vehicles and a DCT completely eradicates this. One of the main advantages that many drivers appreciate is the ability to be able to choose whether they want to let the computer perform the shifts on their behalf or whether they would like to control it themselves.

Power and Efficiency

When you compare a dual-clutch transmission with a standard automatic transmission, there is approximately 6% improved efficiency of both fuel and acceleration. Transitioning from automatic to manual is smooth and allows the driver to have more control over the driving experience. For those who appreciate improved power, efficiency, flexibility and fuel saving options, a DCT vehicle will easily provide all of these features.