New technology allows vehicles to automatically shifts to the optimal gear based on road and traffic conditions ahead.

Hyundai and Kia have developed the world’s first predictive Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Connected Shift System, enabling a vehicle to automatically shift to the optimal gear after identifying the road and traffic conditions ahead. The companies plan to apply the technology to future vehicles.

With this technology the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) collects and interprets real-time data from navigation systems equipped with a precise map of the road, as well as cameras and radar for smart cruise control. 

The advanced navigation input includes elevation, gradient, curvature and a variety of road events as well as current traffic conditions. In addition, radar detects the speed and distance between the vehicle and others, while a forward-looking camera provides lane information.

Using all of these inputs, the TCU predicts the optimal shift scenario for real-time driving situations and shifts the gears accordingly.

In the future, Hyundai and Kia plan to develop an even more intelligent transmission technology that can communicate with traffic signals and identify drivers’ tendencies.

“Vehicles are evolving beyond simple mobility devices into smart mobility solutions,” said Byeong Wook Jeon, Head of Intelligent Drivetrain Control Research Lab. “Even a traditional area of the automobile, such as the powertrain, is becoming a high-tech technology optimized for smart mobility through efforts to integrate ICT and artificial intelligence technologies.”