Next-Gen Toyota EVs Could Have Simulated Manual Transmissions

Toyota is introducing a nostalgic functionality to its next-gen electric vehicles (EVs) that will help drivers experience how to drive with manual transmissions.

The all-electric cars nowadays don't have engine sounds and shift gears anymore, but the Japanese automaker can still mimic them as if you're driving your old car.

Toyota Wants to Bring Simulated Manual Transmissions to EVs

Innovating an EV is endless, and Toyota wants to continue this trend by introducing a unique approach to EV engineering.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, this innovation aims to satisfy the desires of drivers who appreciate the experience of operating older cars or vehicles with manual transmissions. By replicating the feeling of gear shifting and including engine sounds, Toyota hopes to provide a nostalgic driving experience for enthusiasts.

The publication notes that while this is feasible, the simulated stalling feature might not appear in the final product. Indeed, this could be disappointing news for those who missed driving a manual car, but it will provide relief to the engineers who will design it.

As such, the engineers will get spared from the complexity of designing a simulated failure state. This means they can focus more on addressing genuine failure statistics in vehicles, ensuring safety, and improving the reliability of the Toyota EVs.

What's the Catch Behind this Innovation?

As per Mashable's article, two caveats are just waiting around the corner for this Toyota EV innovation.

First, the EV lineup with this system is not guaranteed to be released anytime soon. Worse, we can't see them even next year since they might be launched in 2026 at the earliest.

Of course, this is bad news for those who want to test it out right away, but it's good news for the car manufacturer. This way, engineers can have a longer time to refine the technology and create the best and safest system to enhance the users' driving experience.

Another thing is that stalling might be present in a car if the clutch is wrongly used. Again, this is the trade-off that drivers should take note of.

You might be wondering why Toyota is doing this despite the advancement that it is bringing to the EV industry. As a matter of fact, the company might want to expand its target market and increase the EV adoption rate for non-EV owners.

In late May, Tech Times reported that Toyota was hit by a sudden cyberattack. At that time, the company said that the data of its customers from Asia and Oceania might have been exposed except for those who are living in Japan.

Fortunately, Toyota was quick to address the issue, and it immediately implemented cloud configuration monitoring to identify why it happened in the first place.