The Police Driver and Automatic Transmission
| Published date | 01 July 1964 |
| Author | O. V. Thomas |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6403700709 |
| Date | 01 July 1964 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
O.
V.
THOMAS
Senior Civilian Instructor-Founder Member, Metropolitan Police
Driving School, Hendon
THE
POLICE
DRIVER
AND
AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
The post-war years have seen many changes in motor vehicle
design and construction.
Today, practically all but commercial vehicles are of integral
chassis body construction, which has replaced the well-known chassis
frame. Improved metals and higher octane fuelshave enabled design-
ers to increase power output by higher compression ratios, engine
revolutions per minute and brake horse power.
The power to weight ratio of most present-day cars is excellent and
suspension has been revolutionized, giving independent suspension
on either two or all four wheels. This has considerably improved the
steering and road-holding qualities of all vehicles. Modern disc
brakes are also powerful and virtually none fade. Transmission has
kept pace with modern developments and a few manufacturers
supply certain models only with fully automatic transmission.
Fully automatic transmission has been in general use in the U.S.A.
for the past 25 years
and
was developed from the fluid flywheel or
coupling and the epicyclic gearbox, which were used on a large pro-
portion of cars in this country during pre- and immediate post-war
years A torque converter now replaces the fluid flywheel and is used
in conjunction with an hydraulically operated gearbox giving two
pedal control operation.
Training and
Driving-Normal
Speeds
The best results can only be obtained from vehicles fitted with
automatic transmission by drivers who are fully conversant with its
construction and method of operation.
Students attending police driving schools receive their initial train-
ing on vehicles fitted with conventional gearboxes having three or four
speeds with either floor or column changes. Selected students who
have previous private experience, or novices who are above average
may be given instruction on vehicles fitted with automatic transmis-
sion during the fourth and last weeks of the course.
The minor variations required in the manipulation of controls and
the technique of driving should be demonstrated by the instructor.
h~l~
3M
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