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Manual transmission
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<p>A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in <a href="/facts/Canadian_English/H6Kz0B0T">Canada</a>, <a href="/facts/British_English/ymJR5Rnd">the United Kingdom</a> and <a href="/facts/American_English/sdAfgPgM">the United States</a>), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed <a href="/facts/Motor_vehicle/AaXamA0w">motor vehicle</a> <a href="/facts/Transmission_(mechanical_device)/eoNqAufN">transmission system</a> where gear changes require the driver to manually select the gears by operating a <a href="/facts/Gear_stick/zFGbzlnA">gear stick</a> and <a href="/facts/Clutch/yQLCtuGA">clutch</a> (which is usually a foot pedal for cars or a hand lever for motorcycles). </p><p>Early automobiles used <i>sliding-mesh</i> manual transmissions with up to three forward gear ratios. Since the 1950s, <i>constant-mesh</i> manual transmissions have become increasingly commonplace, and the number of forward ratios has increased to 5-speed and 6-speed manual transmissions for current vehicles. </p><p>The alternative to a manual transmission is an <a href="/facts/Automatic_transmission/bKBFLbyh">automatic transmission</a>. Common types of automatic transmissions are the <a href="/facts/Automatic_transmission/bKBFLbyh">hydraulic automatic transmission</a> (AT) and the <a href="/facts/Continuously_variable_transmission/nPcPoKgT">continuously variable transmission</a> (CVT). The <a href="/facts/Automated_manual_transmission/SKNeCHQj">automated manual transmission</a> (AMT) and <a href="/facts/Dual-clutch_transmission/XdXMvLK5">dual-clutch transmission</a> (DCT) are internally similar to a conventional manual transmission, but are shifted automatically. </p><p>Alternatively, there are <a href="/facts/Semi-automatic_transmission/QP5nmyNz">semi-automatic transmissions</a>. These systems are based on the design of, and are technically similar to, a conventional manual transmission. They have a gear shifter which requires the driver's input to manually change gears, but the driver is not required to engage a clutch pedal before changing gear. Instead, the mechanical linkage for the clutch pedal is replaced by an <a href="/facts/Actuator/mF9qVJJR">actuator</a>, <a href="/facts/Servomechanism/lS3l6sY2">servo</a>, or <a href="/facts/Solenoid_valve/PHBvlKjA">solenoid</a> and <a href="/facts/Sensor/RN8SXbjs">sensors</a>, which operate the clutch system automatically when the driver touches or moves the <a href="/facts/Gearshift/zFGbzlnA">gearshift</a>. This removes the need for a physical clutch pedal. </p>