S650 Mustang may get transmission with electronic clutch system and shifting via manual shifter

SOURCE:
https://www.musclecarsandtrucks.com...lutch-s650-mustang-bronco-fiesta-focus-st-rs/

NEXT-GEN S650 FORD MUSTANG COULD HAVE A REVOLUTIONARY MANUAL TRANSMISSION

February 3, 2022

Ford Motor Company has moved to patent an electronic clutch system that would allow drivers to manually shift gears without having to worry about clutch engagement. Unlike conventional clutch actuation, Ford’s idea would do away with the physical connection between the clutch pedal and the throwout bearing, instead, clutch operation would become an electronic control based on sensor inputs to an algorithm. It could mean a new feature for the upcoming S650 Ford Mustang, an updated Ford Bronco, or a hot hatch like the Focus ST.

According to the patent abstract discovered by MC&T within the USPTO database, the system would feature a control module designed to automatically actuate the clutch allowing the driver to simply shift gears by moving the gear stick alone. The module would begin to disengage the clutch after a sensor in the shift knob tells it the driver has grasped the lever and has begun to move it through the detent, it would then reengage the clutch when the vehicle understands the shift has been completed.




Vehicles using this type of electric clutch system wouldn’t need to include a clutch pedal, however, Ford does state vehicles could still include a clutch pedal, it would simply be connected to the control module instead of physically linked to the clutch master cylinder–much the same as throttle pedals are no longer linked directly to the throttle plate. This could be one way of introducing an electronic clutch system to the masses without too much backlash from purists.

Instead of a clutch pedal, another option outlined in the document could be an override button on the shifter knob in order to manually actuate the clutch. The override, either via pedal or button, would be required for quick shifting, and means dumping the clutch would still be possible. The document even states clutch pressure could be sensed by how much pressure the gear lever is grasped with, this would allow modulation or slipping the clutch as a function of your grip.




It’s important to note that this system will still employ a hydraulic connection between the master cylinder and slave cylinder to move the throw-out bearing axially towards or away from the diaphragm springs on the pressure plate. Ford says this type of system could be employed in longitudinal manual transmissions found on traditional rear-wheel-drive vehicles like the S650 Ford Mustang, or all-wheel-drive setups like the Ford Bronco. Front-wheel-drive transaxles as used in vehicles like the Fiesta and Focus are fair game as well. The mechanical components of the transmission itself would be unchanged, it would still employ constant mesh gears, synchronizers, speed gears, and shift forks much the same as today’s manual gearboxes.

One of Ford’s goals with this electronic clutch system is to do away with some of the negative attributes associated with driving a manual transmission vehicle day-to-day, a large part of the reason we’ve watched manual take rates decline over the past 30 years.

All that said, there appears to be no timeframe for Ford to implement an electronic clutch of this nature, but based on our interpretation of the patent, a system like this wouldn’t take much in terms of mechanical engineering to bring to market, it’s basically just an algorithm. And if such a feature ends up on the S650 Mustang, remember, you read it here first.

Interesting. I seem to remember a few exotics having this before true smt and dct became a thing.

I wouldn't necessarily call this "revolutionary", this is basically how DCTs work. A physical clutch that would otherwise be operated by a pedal is now done electronically by the computer.

What's revolutionary about it is the combination of that technology with the manual shifter rather than paddle controls.

this setup also facilitates having a pancake electic motor serially in the driveline. It also helps with ev-assisted launch control and start from traffic light (eg. 0-10mph) and creeping in congestion mode.

I hope to god Ford doesn't implement cylinder deactivation but a computer-assisted clutch can damp out the lurching that otherwise can result.

shogun32 said:

this setup also facilitates having a pancake electic motor serially in the driveline. It also helps with ev-assisted launch control and start from traffic light (eg. 0-10mph) and creeping in congestion mode.

I hope to god Ford doesn't implement cylinder deactivation but a computer-assisted clutch can damp out the lurching that otherwise can result.

Click to expand...

That is a good point, I wonder if this would be for the hybrid only, assuming there is or will be one. That would keep ICE purists happy.

Back in 2016 I was demanding a clutchless manual... and many forum members "SMG derp'd" me to death, until I explained what I meant. It was a lengthy discussion.

I wonder if a ford Engineer was in that thread... because this is nearly identical to what I was suggesting.

Damn! Haven't logged in a long time, but this is IT! An insider said a few vocal traditionalists might be pissed over something. It wasn't gonna be hybrid, was it? Or maybe both, hence...


I haven't gotten my questions answered semi-officially on mechanical changes, but is the S650 a hybrid only vehicle mated to this "manual" transmission?

Maybe MT-82 is gone!

Sounds like a automatic transmission to me.

As I said in the other topic, don't read too much into patents. Carmakers develop technologies all the time, a lot of them are never going into production. Like Gms Clutch By Wire, active Aero for the C8, the Glass Roof Mustang, the Alpha-2 Cadillac Coupe (that obviously shared the cancelled Alpha-2 Camaro 7 base). But maybe we will see this Coyote V8 Hybrid AWD patent in the S650.

EcoVert said:

Sounds like a automatic transmission to me.

Click to expand...

Not with a throwout bearing.

At first glance with emotions leading the way, I hate this lol. At this point I would just rather have an auto trans. The clutch is a strong if not THE strongest part of why I row gears. The pedal manipulation determining how hard or soft you want energy transferred to the rest of the driveline is strategic and fun. Moving a gear lever using a computer to "guess" what I want to do clutch wise sounds terrible. In my '11 GT500 one of my favorite things to do is leave the light calm and collected while waiting to shift just a little longer before throwing it into second and making lots of tire smoke. No way anything that isn't me is going to know if that's my intent this time or not. Now that I'm deep in "get off my lawn" territory, I'll stop and reread the first post lol. And I don't consider myself a manual purest either...yeesh.

I love my 3rd pedal, but my wife has bad knees from RA, and she loves rowing through the gears. So this would be perfect for her... I might consider trading her 2005 5 Speed Mustang Convertible for something like this. I would sell the car outright honestly, I like it too much.

The 10R80 should have come with the ability to manually shift using the console shifter as well as the paddle's. My biggest gripe with the paddles is that shifting while rotating the steering wheel is a bit awkward at best. I love the "slap stick" shifter on my BMW M40i. It is the closest thing to rowing the gears. BMW has done an excellent job with this selectable tranny. The shifts are precise and without pause or lag.
The 10R80 definitely suffers a moment of lag from the time the paddle is pressed and the transmission engages the next gear.

Hopefully the next gen. auto. transmission for the GT will be more refined

Could this mean a standard transmission with the option to drive like an automatic?

MPEBFL said:

Could this mean a standard transmission with the option to drive like an automatic?

Click to expand...

Dude, this is from February. This didn't happen.