Suzuki receives the “Japan Society for the Promotion of Machine Industry Chairman's Prize”

Development of AMT with Enhanced Drivability and User-Friendliness

 

Suzuki Motor Corporation has, for the first time, received the “Japan Society for the Promotion of Machine Industry (JSPMI) Chairman's Prize” of the 13th New JSPMI Prizes for the “Development of AMT with Enhanced Drivability and User-Friendliness”. The New JSPMI Prizes are awards given to corporations, universities, research institutes, and their R&D members, whose brilliant research and development, as well as utilization of such achievement related to the machine industry, have been recognized to have significantly contributed to the progression and development of machine industry technologies.

 

 

Development of AMT with Enhanced Drivability and User-Friendliness

 

AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) is a new transmission which has combined both merits of manual and automatic transmissions. Suzuki developed it under the name of Auto Gear Shift (AGS). It realized easy driving and fuel-efficient drive by installing electro-hydraulic actuator that automatically operates clutch and gearshift, onto a conventional inexpensive five-speed manual transmission. By reviewing the system control and enhancing the shift-change feel, it offers the fun of driving with direct drive feel. Plus, user-friendliness was enhanced by adding parking and creep functions. Starting from the Celerio (model sold in markets outside Japan), the AGS has been also installed on Japanese minicars including the Alto, Every, and Carry, and has been favored among wide range of customers.

 

Name of the award:	13th New JSPMI Prizes “Japan Society for the Promotion of Machine Industry Chairman's Prize”
Awarded technology:	Development of AMT with Enhanced Drivability and User-Friendliness
Development members:	Hideki Komada	Automobile Engine Design Dept. II, Suzuki Motor Corporation
	Hiroshi Kamatsuke	Automobile Engine Design Dept. II, Suzuki Motor Corporation
	Satohiro Yoshida	Automobile Engine Design Dept. II, Suzuki Motor Corporation
	Tomohiro Fukada	Automobile Transmission Design Dept., Suzuki Motor Corporation
	Kenichiro Ohga	Automobile Transmission Design Dept., Suzuki Motor Corporation
Comment by the member: (Hideki Komada)	“Commercialization of AGS technology was realized with the team work of many engineers. We feel very much honored that our daily efforts have been recognized and have contributed to the development of technologies.”