Transmission of The Future

March 11 - During the seventh International Car Training Institute (CTI) Symposium for Innovative Automotive Transmissions in Berlin, over 40% of participants responding to an on-site survey predicted dual-clutch technology will be the leading transmission by the year 2020.

Other transmission technologies, including conventional step-ratio automatic, continuously variable, manual/automated manual, and completely new systems only rated 10% - 15% each among participants. Approximately 1,000 transmission experts from around the world participated in the symposium.

Interest in dual-clutch transmissions is particularly strong among OEMs in Europe and major growth markets in Asia. Worldwide, BorgWarner projects production of dual-clutch transmissions to grow an average of 42% year-over-year, from approximately 600,000 transmissions in 2008 to five million in 2014. BorgWarner also expects to supply DualTronic controls technology, dual-clutch technology or both in over 80% of the dual-clutch transmissions produced worldwide in the next six years.

Organized by Germany's highly regarded Car Training Institute, the symposium gathered transmission experts from Europe, Asia and the United States to discuss how new vehicle and drive concepts, increasing energy costs and consumer purchasing power will influence transmission development.