距1894年，一个法国工程师给一辆汽车装上世界上第一个变速器至今，汽车变速器已经经过了一百多年的发展。变速器为汽车重要的组成部分，是承担放大发动机扭矩，配合引擎功扭特性，实现理想动力传递，从而适应各种路况实现汽车行驶的主要装置。
使用最早的是手动变速器。后来为了方便驾驶，在领个相邻齿轮间装上了同步器，依靠同步器的作用，我们换挡就不需要去判断车速了。目前手动变速器依然在汽车界应用非常广泛，自动变速器是个趋势，但手动变速器确是驾驶乐趣的极大体现者。
传统的变速器利用不同的齿轮搭配实现了换挡変扭的目的，而齿轮搭配的变换就只有靠脚踩离合手拉挡杆来实现，这就是所谓的手动变速器。为实现轻松换挡，取消离合脚踏和手动挂挡的AT(AutomaticTransmission)变速器出现了，它主要利用液力变扭器配合传统机械齿轮箱实现换挡功能。其实早在1948年的通用的奥兹莫比尔汽车上就已经出现了如今自动变速器的雏形，不过那时的自动变速器仅仅是加了液力耦合器的手动变速器而已。
因为AT使用得较早，所以英文定名就叫“自动变速器”。然而，AT并不等同于自动变速器。只要能实现自动换挡变速的便可叫自动变速器，要达到此目的其实途径很多：除AT外，还包括了无级变速器等其它形式。但以前的命名也无法推翻，所以我们姑且这样认为：自动变速器（AT）包括：液力变速（AT），电控变速（ECT），无极变速（CVT）.
1908年，福特T型车最早采用一种两个速比的自动变速器。其构造是采用多组齿轮，并且分成中央齿轮和周边齿轮，最外边则是一个转轮，随着中央齿轮从发动机引入的扭矩不同，齿轮组相机行事，从而得到高低不一的转速，包括倒车档的反向旋转。转轮式自动变速器存在一个缺点，即起步加速时令人有一种车轮打滑的感觉，于是驾车人会猛加油门，但车速又并不随即增高。目前已有一些厂家，如日产和菲亚特，求助于电子装置来设法消除这一缺点，日产Primera的6速变速器与菲亚特Punto的7速变速器便是这番努力的结果。驾车者根本无需扳动手柄，便可以轻松自如地改变车速。
虽然自动变速器不断地演变进步，但始终有缺点，即车速的反应与踏板的动作之间总有一定的差距，驾驶中缺乏直觉的印象。1969年出现的电子控制系统及1982年出现的数字技术对此作了改进。
随着发动机燃油喷射与点火装置的不断完善，自动变速器也有新的花样，如设置了“运动式’或“雪地行驶”等不同的操控方式，有的在仪表盘上设有一个印有S字母的按钮，可以在加速时变得格外迅捷；或者印有雪花图案
代表雪地行驶的按钮，可避免在起步时打滑。更有甚者，新一代“随机应变式”变速器还可以顺应驾车者不同的习惯、相应的反应、使驾驶变得更加得心应手。将自动变速器智能化，并且普及到大众化的汽车上，这是法国人的功劳。1997年标致206与雷诺Clio率先采用了最先进的电脑控制技术及被称为“fuzzylogie”的原理，即“模糊逻辑”。这样的汽车可以依据驾车者的性情、路面的状况、车身的负荷
乃至周边环境等多种因素，在9种程式中挑选最适合的功能，实现智能化驾驶，以充分发挥车辆的性能，降低油耗，确保安全。如今无级变速器即CVT(ContinuouslyVariableTransmission)也已大量使用，无级变速器在变速系统中不使用齿轮，提供平稳和“无级的”速比转换的变速系统，同时具有重量轻、体积小、零件少的特点，是公认的理想的汽车传动装置。相比较AT，CVT无极变速器主要是在传动方式上有所不同。后者是采用传动钢带和工作直径可变的主、从动轮相配合来传递动力，从而实现传动比的连续改变。
然而，传统CVT在技术上存在着的弱点，如传动带容易损坏，无法承受较大的载荷等等，使得该变速器一直以来多应用在小排量、低功率的汽车上。随着技术的发展，能源危机引发全球性的节约能源和环境保护意识的提高，在总结第一代的CVT的经验基础上，人们开发出了性能更佳，转矩容量更大的CVT。但目前在要求打扭矩的车型上无级变速器依然无法担当重任。
与无级变速器共同发展的电控自动变速器又迎来了DSG（双离合器自动变速器）的普及，如今大众汽车已经开始将以前只应用于超级跑车的技术应用到了普通家用轿车上来了。DSG技术使得自动变速器换挡更加迅捷，动力损失更小，因此更加节油。
自动变速器的发展使汽车好像有了人的智慧，甚至比人更善于思索。它根据外界路面的变化，经过计算，代替人作出准确聪明的决断。
附录2
From 1894, a French engineer to a car fitted with the world's first transmission date, transmission has been car a hundred years of development. Important for the automotive transmission component of the commitment to enlarge the engine torque, torsional characteristics of reactive power with the engine, to achieve the desired power transmission, and thus adapt to various road conditions to achieve the main devices driving.
The first is the use of manual transmission. Later, for the convenience of motorists, in the collar between adjacent gear fitted with a synchronizer, the synchronizer rely on, and we do not need to shift to judge the speed. Manual transmission is still present in the automotive industry a wide range of applications, automatic transmission is a trend, but the manual transmission is great fun, embodied persons.
The traditional gear transmission with the use of different shift achieved the purpose of twisting, but with the change of gear by foot only hand-off to achieve, and this is the so-called manual transmission. Easily shift to achieve the abolition of clutch pedal and manual the AT (AutomaticTransmission) transmission occurred, it is the main browser using hydraulic Torque traditio
nal mechanical gearbox with the shift function to achieve. In fact, as early as the 1948 Oldsmobile car GM has already emerged on the automatic transmission is now taking shape, but then the automatic transmission is only the addition of hydraulic coupler manual transmission only.
AT used because earlier, so the English name is called "automatic transmission." However, AT is not the same as in the automatic transmission. As long as we can to achieve the automatic transmission shift automatic transmission can be called, it is necessary to achieve this in fact means a lot: In addition to AT, but also includes other forms of CVT. However, before the overthrow of the name can not, so let us not think so: automatic transmission (AT) including: hydraulic transmission (AT), Electronically Controlled Transmission (ECT), non-polar transmission (CVT).
1908 Ford Model T the first use of a two-speed ratio automatic transmission. Constructed using multiple sets of gear, and gear into the central and peripheral gear, the outside is a runner, with the introduction of the central gear of the torque from the engine is different from camera gear groups so as to be different levels of speed, including Reverse rotation reversing file. Runner-type automatic transmission, there is a drawback, that is, when people start to accelerate there is a feeling of spin the wheels, so drivers will be meng refueling door, but does not immediately increase the speed again. At present, some manufacturers such as Nissan and Fiat, have recourse to some electronic d
evice to try to eliminate this shortcoming, Nissan Primera and the 6-speed transmission Fiat Punto 7-speed gearbox is the result of this effort. Drivers pulled no need to handle, they can easily change the speed.
Although the automatic transmission continue to evolve and progress, but there will always be a drawback, that is, the response speed of action and between the pedal there will always be a gap, driving in the impression of a lack of intuition. Appeared in 1969 and the electronic control systems appeared in 1982, which was to improve digital technology.
With the engine fuel injection and ignition devices continued to be refined, automatic transmission is also new tricks, such as set up a "campaign-style 'or" snow road ", such as the manipulation of different ways, some in the instrument panel has a bearing S letter button, you can become extremely rapid acceleration; or snowflake patterns are printed on the button on behalf of the snow moving to avoid slipping in the start. Even worse, a new generation of "adaptable style" Transmission can also adapt to motorists different habits, the corresponding reaction, so that drivers will become more user-friendly. the intelligent automatic transmission, and spread to the vehicle mass, which is a credit to the French. in 1997 with the Renault Clio Peugeot 206 took the lead in the most advanced computer-controlled technology and is known as "fuzzylogie" the principle that "fuzzy logic." This car
大众dsg变速器can drive based on the temperament, road conditions, vehicle load and the surrounding environment and other factors, in the nine kinds of programs select the most suitable function, the realization of intelligent driving, in order to give full play to the vehicle performance and reduce fuel consumption and ensure safety. now that is, continuously variable transmission CVT
(ContinuouslyVariableTransmission) also have been widely used, continuously variable transmission system in the non-use of gears, to provide smooth and "no class" conversion ratio of the transmission system at the same time light weight, small size, the characteristics of small parts, is recognized as the ideal vehicle transmission. compared to AT, CVT transmission wuji primarily in the drive way there different. The latter is the use of drive belts and the work of the main variable diameter driven wheel to transfer power line in order to achieve the continuous transmission ratio change.
However, the traditional CVT technical weaknesses exist, such as the transmission belt easily damaged, can not afford a larger load, etc., makes the transmission has been used in more than a small displacement, low-power vehicles. As technology advances, the energy crisis triggered a global energy conservation and environmental protection awareness, at the conclusion of the first generation of CVT based on the experience, people develop a better performance, greater torque ca
pacity CVT. However, playing in the torque requirements on the CVT model is still unable to take on heavy responsibilities.
Continuously Variable Transmission and the common development of electronically controlled automatic transmission also ushered in DSG (dual clutch automatic transmission) the popularity of Volkswagen has now started to apply only to the super sports car before the technology is applied to the ordinary family car has been up. DSG automatic transmission shifting technology enables faster, less power loss, so more fuel-efficient.
The development of automatic transmission car seems to have wisdom, and even more good than people think. It changes according to the road outside, after the calculation, instead of smart people to make an accurate decision.