Of course, the dual-clutch transmission is a fine thing. Anyone who, even as a bystander only heard and saw, as an equipped vehicle accelerates with it, will share the excitement. But there is also a problem, namely the additional charge. Meanwhile, e.g. a direct shift gearbox at VW has reached exactly the extra charge of a four-wheel drive.

Is it possible to do it more favourable? Of course not with exactly the same effect but still. Meant is the electronic clutch, also called e-clutch. It makes the clutch pedal to an electronic sensor, the, however, quite convincingly gives the impression when activated, you have an quite ordinary under the left foot

The rest is slightly surprising, because there is now (still) no servomotor directly in place of the central slave cylinder, but connects this with the master cylinder. The hydraulics is therefore maintained. Now, either the servomotor can alone engage/disengage the clutch or modify by the actuation of the driver. In difficult situations, for example, when starting with heavy loads in the mountain, the adjustment range will be expanded.

Possible for the future would be also to prevent unfavourable warming caused by too timid throwing into gear by intervention in this engaging action. Think additionally to the truck sector, where engagement is mitigated under high loads by a kind of hydraulic clutch. Here, the electronically controlled clutch could replace the lighter cases perhaps more cost-effective.

Actually, this clutch should be able to make any starting operation successful, but the developers are not yet as far. They have focused at LUK (Schäffler) on coasting. So, when the motorist release the accelerator, the engine brake will not effective, but the engine will uncoupled and stops, a kind of start/stop while driving. Of course, it drives again, if one accelerates.