How a SMART CAR Automated Manual Transmission Works

Ever wondered why the Smart Fortwo car shifts gears so funky? In this video, I'll be tearing down the infamous Mercedes-Smart Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) to see what's inside and how it works! While it drives like an automatic, underneath the skin, it’s actually a conventional dry-clutch manual transmission operated entirely by computers and two electric motors. I'll disassemble it all to show you exactly how the electric clutch actuator and gear selector drum work, individual gear ratio operation with selector forks, why the shifting feels so incredibly slow, and what goes wrong when these systems face rare mechanical or electronic failure. Whether you’re a Smart Car owner trying to diagnose a shifting issue, or just an automotive enthusiast who loves quirky mechanical deep dives, this teardown explains it all. The transmission in this video was from a 2005 Smart with 300,000km on it. You can see the internals of the 0.8L Diesel engine here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq4cg_jtVQs While Hondamatic transmissions have a similar arrangement to a manual, they use individual wet clutches instead of selector forks. You can watch a teardown of a FAILED Honda transmission here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFAsEXsRyEQ FORD uses a similar, automated manual transmission. It uses two shift barrels and two clutches and have had numerous issues with their Powershift DCT's. Check out the teardown for that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLBkV2k3BD4 If you enjoyed this mechanical autopsy, make sure to SUBSCRIBE and drop a comment down below with your thoughts on the automated manual transmission! ⚙️ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - The Smart Car AMT Controversy 0:17 - Clutch Operation: Manual vs Automated 1:15 - Tearing down the transmission 3:24 - How the Shift Forks and Drum Actuators Select Gears 7:38 - Inside the Shift Drum Electric Motor 8:51 - How the Transmission Knows What Gear It's In 9:10 - Inside the Electric Clutch Actuator 10:08 - Final Verdict: Brilliant Engineering or Fatal Flaw? Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/speedkar99 This is the Camera I use: https://amzn.to/3oaRcZX (US) https://amzn.to/3KWQ2uU (Canada) Link to Etsy shop where you can purchase speedkar99's brother's socks, t-shirts or hoodies: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Speedkar speedkar9 on Instagram and Tiktok https://www.instagram.com/speedkar9/ https://www.tiktok.com/@speedkar9 speedkar99 on Facebook and Linkedin: https://www.facebook.com/speedkar9/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/speedkar99/ Subscribe for more videos just like this: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=speedkar99 #SmartCar #Transmission #manual #smartfortwo #HowItWorks #CarRepair #teardown