Fake vents. Fake engine sounds. Fake tailpipes. Fake gearshifts. What’s next? Fake shifters, of course.
Cars have always been about the vibes, and digitization has opened a huge door of possibilities for automakers. Shift-by-wire systems aren’t new in the industry, but a patent filing from Hyundai puts a big twist on the technology that looks to provide buyers with the best of both gearboxes.
The automaker’s filing, first uncovered by CarBuzz, is for a new shift-by-wire mechanism that can operate like a gated manual or a traditional automatic. It would pair perfectly with the automaker’s simulated gearshifts, which the electric Ioniq 5 N has popularized.
The patent (US-12624755-B1) depicts a shifter with multiple gates that has no mechanical connection to a transmission. Under automatic operation, there are Drive, Reverse, and Neutral. What makes the mechanism unique is the addition of a clutch that enables manual mode when pressed, including a "neutral" position when the shifter is between gears.
Hyundai is not the first to think of combining transmissions and shift mechanisms.
Koenigsegg’s Light Speed Transmission and Engage Shift System are very similar, offering both a nine-speed automatic and a six-speed manual within the same gearbox. Porsche also filed its own patent for a transmission gear selector that can operate in manual or automatic mode.
Gallery: Hyundai Shift-By-Wire Mechanism
Motor1’s Take: Software and code are quickly replacing the mechanical and physical attributes of the car so many of us love, but if they scratch the same itch and our minds can't tell the difference, does it matter? If Hyundai's fake shifter is anything like the fake engine sounds, gearshifts, and vents we already overlook, it won't matter one bit.
