Ford has filed a patent application for a manual transmission with an electronic clutch with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The concept would allow drivers of future Ford vehicles to shift gears without controlling clutch actuation.
Ford's ground-breaking idea would eliminate the physical connection between the throwout bearing and the clutch pedal. In Ford's concept first spotted by Muscle Cars & Trucks, electronic control would handle clutch operation based on sensor inputs to an algorithm.
The car's software will help sensors detect movement with the shifter and trigger engagement or disengagement of the clutch accordingly. Ford's idea is revolutionary as this concept would eliminate the car's need for a clutch pedal. However, Ford's patent application made it clear that this feature could still be retained.
According to Motor Authority, Ford said the clutch pedal would be connected to the car's control module instead of physically linked to the clutch master cylinder. The technology connecting the pedal to the electronic control module is similar to the by-wire throttle and braking systems used in some vehicles. This will help Ford avoid too much backlash from purists who are not fans of the electronic clutch system.
Ford also gave an alternate option instead of a clutch pedal, saying that an override button could be fitted to the shifter in its place. This means is that it could still be possible for drivers to drop the clutch with one of these systems. Clutch pressure could also be allowed to vary based on how much pressure is applied to the shift lever.
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Per Gear Patrol, Ford noted in its patent application that the electronic clutch system would not require any major hardware modifications. That means this concept could be used with every possible Ford vehicle, from front-wheel-drive cars with transaxles to four-wheel-drive vehicles like the Bronco and rear-wheel-drive cars with longitudinally mounted engines, like the Mustang coupe and convertible.
One of the main goals of Ford regarding the electronic clutch system is to remove some of the negative attributes associated with driving a vehicle that has manual transmission day-to-day. A growing number of the driving population has shifted to automatic transmission over the past 30 years, and Ford wants to change that trend with this concept.
Ford's possibilities regarding this feature are endless, but the carmaker has not yet publicly discussed its plans to put the electronic clutch into production. Once Ford's patent application is approved, and it pushes ahead with the production of the electronic clutch system, it is expected to be applied to the next-generation Mustang. The new model of the Mustang, codenamed S650, is expected to arrive through 2023 as a 2024 variant.
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