They weren't for about 100 years, but automatics are now mostly better than manuals in terms of performance and economy. Unfortunately, some the the things that

They weren't for about 100 years, but automatics are now mostly better than manuals in terms of performance and economy. Unfortunately, some the the things that make them "better" like 8 gears makes the driving feel worse, with constant shifting. The other big gain is in improved torque conversion. https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/how-automatic-transmissions-overtook-manuals-in-speed-and-efficiency https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/how-automa...