Because the category has exanded and advanced far beyond the traditional and compromised "automatic". If you want to be ignorant and cague, and call all superchargers "blowers" and IRS "axles" go for it.
Not really . . . while it goes about its internal business differently than conventional automatics have, it can do so fully automatically. Not my problem that you're offended by an old-school term that still fits just fine, or that it's so simple to operate that anybody could just slap (OK, twist) it into 'D' and go . . . exactly like they'd do with any other automatic..
Clearly you're not bothering to read what I posted. You've somehow managed to interpret what I posted with respect to axles and superchargers exactly backwards. You couldn't have gotten it any more wrong if you tried.
In the absence of more detailed information, yes. I have a fair idea how various transmission types work.
And I'm gonna say that you would be wrong.
Not quite, you still admit to lumping all supercharger types together, yet are hypocritical with specifically defining carburators & throttle bodies and suspension drive types. I guess you just pick and choose what you want to be specific on.
They're basically the same as a motorcycle transmission (but with pneumatic solenoids that move the shift lever). Or do you not know how those work either?
Summary of article: "people that agree with me are enlightened and probably also good looking and wealthy. People that disagree are stupid, poor and have bad taste. Author comes off as being triggered."
Why the head bang? Is there something in my post you are upset about? It seems to me like we agree. Yes you are right. DCTs are good for road racing as they make the driver's job easier so generally they are faster than a manual transmission, especially over time and lots of laps. Having the car's computer automatically adjust everything and do the shifting for you saves driver effort and reduces fatigue.
DCTs are being used in more and more professional racing series like GT4, TCR, etc...
The section in bold. They aren't "automatics" nor are they "generally faster" just because they make the drivers job easier (although I agree that plays a part and helps), but they are outright faster at shifting and typically have more gears that can be spaced closer together to keep the engine closer to peak power longer than a normal manual transmission.
Forced induction is an accurate, if general, term for those. A little like how 'throttle body' covers those other devices. Whether PD, centri-, or turbo, this discussion is not about detail differences among forms of FI. And like I said before I hardly ever talk about them so there's never been much need for me to get more specific about them. Your best bet for that would be to look in any thread I posted in that involved turbochargers (I think I'm plenty specific there). I'll leave most everything else about FI to those who chase big power.
I don't think grooves in a drum is much like any pneumatic solenoid. But that really doesn't matter when all you need to do is move gears, sliders/synchros, or dogs axially into and out of engagement. I'm sure that a DCT type of transmission could be made that would be shifted via a console-mounted hand-shifter to bring that much of DCT operation into the strictly-manual domain. I hope you can at least see that it would be possible.
If the electronics can both determine and command the shifts, then yes, that makes it an automatic. Even if it offers manual command as an alternative, the fact that it would still have the capability to do both without operator command past the matter of putting it in 'D' keeps it in the automatic camp.
Those are not distinguishing characteristics that would separate a DCT from the automatic category. Important, sure. But not classification-changing. Like a conventional automatic with a tune or a shift kit is still an automatic even though it also shifts faster than OE. Let me get back to you on the matter of what closer gear spacing and quicker shift times might actually mean (I hope to have some numbers).
