As the automotive industry continues its electrification journey in 2023, many automakers are eager to highlight their cutting-edge electric motor and battery technologies for the next generation of electric vehicles. Toyota, on the other hand, is committed to electrifying its entire lineup, but it believes in taking a balanced and considered approach to the transition. This is evident in the fact that Toyota is actively developing new hardware designed for vehicles with internal combustion engines, suggesting the Japanese automaker doesn’t believe that the traditional gasoline engine is on its deathbed just yet.
The upcoming Direct Automatic Transmission (DAT) from Toyota is receiving particular attention. Toyota’s chairman, Akio Toyoda, has described it as a game-changer, and now Japanese racing driver Hiroaki Ishiura is echoing this sentiment, emphasizing the outstanding performance of DAT. After testing a GR Yaris equipped with the new automatic transmission, Ishiura is confident that it outperforms the manual counterpart. He goes as far as to claim that drivers won’t lose any time shifting gears on the race track.
In an interview for the official Toyota Times magazine, Hiroaki Ishiura shared his enthusiasm for the DAT, saying, “It locks in from the moment you set off, responding linearly to gas pedal input and allowing you to shave time off your laps without any loss. DAT senses when you’re braking fully and downshifts for you to prepare for the next acceleration. It anticipates the actions ahead, just as we normally do when driving.”
Toyota’s development of the new gearbox began in the second half of 2020. While it has been tested primarily in motorsport applications so far, reports from Japan suggest that the GR Yaris will receive an eight-speed, torque-converter automatic transmission in 2024. Officially, Toyota states that DAT is being developed to encourage more people to participate in motorsport by making racing more accessible, thanks to the removal of the clutch pedal.
Hiroaki Ishiura points out that a conventional automatic transmission typically feels “slippery” and lacks the direct connection that manual transmissions provide. In contrast, DAT is designed to mimic the behavior of a skilled driver who manually shifts gears, offering a more engaging and responsive driving experience. The development of this faster automatic transmission was initiated by Akio Toyoda’s vision of “spreading the joy of driving” to a wider audience, as not everyone is proficient in driving a manual.
Toyota’s approach to the development of the Direct Automatic Transmission underlines its commitment to enhancing the driving experience for enthusiasts while maintaining an appreciation for the traditional internal combustion engine, even as it embraces electrification for the future.
