India’s Passenger Vehicle Transmission Trends: ATs Gain Ground Amid Worsening Urban Traffic

This report has compiled transmission installation data on passenger vehicles manufactured in India. The overwhelming majority of passenger vehicles (sedans, hatchbacks, SUVs and MPVs) use MT in India. However, in recent years, the automation of transmissions is gaining ground against the background of serious traffic congestions in urban areas. Interestingly, this “transmission automation” is not driven by ATs or CVTs, but by AMTs, which Maruti Suzuki has been increasingly installing in compact cars. This trend is very different from other global markets where automation begins with ATs.

It is estimated that two-pedal passenger vehicles (AMT, AT, DCT and CVT models), that is vehicles without a clutch pedal, account for around 20% of all passenger vehicle sales in India. According to local media reports, the sales ratio of two-pedal vehicles increased from about 1% in 2011 to just under 20% in 2019. It is believed that AMT-equipped vehicles account for the bulk of two-pedal passenger vehicle sales, while other types of two-pedal models are mainly high-end grades. For this reason, sales volume of these vehicles is still limited.