Going automatic

Going automatic

Forget the gearstick, just start and vroom away! Automatic transmission cars is the new mantra for Bangaloreans tired of

By Aditi Soni
Posted On Tuesday, September 23, 2008

With Bangalore’s average traffic speed during peak hour being 18 kmph, automatic transmission (AT) cars are turning out to be favourite stressbusters for the harried denizens. The AT cars, unlike the manual transmission cars where drivers have to use the clutch and gear to get the extra throttle, come with automatic gearbox and facilitate clutchless driving.

“More than the pressures at workplace, it is Bangalore’s traffic that gets on my nerves. But with an automatic car, I don’t get tired,” said Praveen Kumar, a software engineer who has been using this car for quite some time now. Not wanting to juggle with clutch and brakes on the pothole-ridden city roads, more people are opting for automatic cars, with the main reason being ‘comfort’. Those monitoring the automobile industry claim a 40 per cent increase in sale of AT cars in Bangalore in the recent months.

“The demand was never this high before. Where we used to sell 10 cars per month, it has increased to 60 cars per month,” said Dakshit Yoganand, senior sales manager from Hyundai at Sankey Road. “So many people are coming ahead with inquiries about the test drive for automated cars”, he added.

From techies who have used these cars abroad to old people who find these very convenient to drive, the list of customers grows. In fact, nearly 90 per cent of the cars in the US have automatic gearboxes.

“I am used to these cars. I find them much more comfortable. In Bangalore traffic, automatic cars don’t leave you tired at the end of the day,” said Vikram Nayar, vice president of Lifestyle, Bangalore.

Moreover, disabled people too find these cars user-friendly. “In manual cars, every now and then you are supposed to change gears. Also, both the feet should be alert to take immediate action. But automatic cars are a better option. I can just go on with my right foot, without using my left foot at all” said Aradhana Sharma, a resident of Whitefield and another happy user of an automatic car.

Old people too gathered strength to go ahead and learn driving since it’s a lot more easier than manual ones. “It’s fun to learn driving at 71. I never thought that this this can be so easy,” said Captain Johann. Women, especially, find these cars very easy to drive and handle. “It’s an experience in itself to drive this car on a highway. It’s so light and without any complications” said Neha Kakkar, another car driver from Rajajinagar. “Automatics require a bit less focus, and may be better if you’re driving with loud people (perhaps crying babies), or in traffic with a great deal of stops and starts”, she added.

To cope up with the high demand, many companies are coming up with the automatic versions of their cars. Hyundai’s i10 is one such example. “Earlier demand was high for Santro.But after i10, more people wanted this. So Hyundai has started manufacturing more such cars” added Yoganand. The same scenario has been seen with Honda too. “From one car per month, the demand has increased to five cars,” said Ravi Shankar, sales executive of Honda showroom in Bangalore. Even though automatic cars prove more expensive for the customers, but still the demand is appreciating. On an average, an AT car costs anywhere between Rs 75,000 and Rs 1 lakh more than the manual transmission car.

“It’s all about convenience. Looking at the Bangalore traffic, people will go for these cars without a second thought,” contended Santosh, manager of a Toyota showroom in Bangalore.

The scooter option
While car owners look at automatic transmission cars, two-wheeler owners are looking at gearless electric scooters to beat the rising fuel prices. In fact, this has prompted two-wheeler manufac turers like TVS Motors and Kinetic Motors to tweak their sales strategies in order to net the college-crowd. While TVS launched Scooty Pep+, Kinetic unveiled Flyte in Bangalore recently.

“Earlier, we used to sell 60 vehicles. But in the last three months, it has increased to 90” said Raghavendra, a TVS dealer in Indiranagar. Similarly, Flyte sales are shooting up, the company claimed. “In past four months, demand has increased tremendously. We are selling 95 vehicles per month. More youngsters are going for it,” said Sharada, sales executive of a Kinetic Honda showroom in Domlur.