With the advance in auto technology getting better day by day, substantial efforts is being directed towards the transmission systems. These efforts have led to modern transmission systems which are more effective, automatic and provide faster propulsion than their precedents. However, most of the earlier forms such as the manual transmission are still in use.
Manual transmission
The simplest and oldest type of transmission still in use is the trusty manual. This gearbox uses a friction clutch modulated by the driver’s foot to connect the engine’s rotational energy to the transmission’s input shaft. From there, a fixed set of gears are engaged using a syncro and gear-selector fork connected to the shifter operated by the driver’s right hand (or left, in certain countries).
Automatic transmission
The ubiquitous automatic is by far the most common transmission on the road today. It uses a highly-complex torque converter to transmit the engine’s rotational energy, while gear shifts are controlled by the vehicle’s computer and accomplished with a planetary gear set and a series of clutches and brakes.
Continuously variable transmission (CVT)
The CVT offers a similar driving experience to an automatic, but operates using a completely different mechanism. In fact, the CVT doesn’t have gears at all — instead, it uses a system of belts and pulleys to produce an infinite range of ratios. The car’s computer decides how to adjust the pulleys to create the optimal ratio for the particular driving situation. This creates the CVT’s primary advantage: fuel economy. No other transmission type can offer more MPGs than a CVT (yet).
Sourced From: http://www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/4-types-of-car-transmissions-and-how-they-work.html/?a=viewall
Many auto technicians have diverse prospects over front wheel and rear wheel drive as well. However, the advantages of the rear wheel drive are somewhat uncompromised, the weight balance, better acceleration and better road holding among other benefits of this form are quite outstanding.
Better weight balance: Most rear wheel drive cars have the engine in the front and the drive components in the rear. Front drive cars have everything up front. By properly balancing the front and rear of the car you can improve the handling, acceleration, braking, and thus safety of a car.
Better acceleration: Rear wheel drive cars accelerate faster than a front drive car from a stop. This is because when you accelerate quickly from a stop the weight of the car transfers to the rear of the car. In a rear drive car this places extra weight on the rear of the car, essentially jamming the tyres into the road greatly increasing traction. In a front drive car, when the weight goes to the rear, weight is taken off of the front wheels.
Better Road Holding: The better weight balance of rear wheel drive allows the car to handle better. The more even weight allows the car to drive neutrally through a corner. This means both the front and rear of the car have near equal loads acting upon them.
Sourced From: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-advantages-of-rear-wheel-drive-in-a-car
For off road drivers, especially the ones who hit the rough road from time to time, having a great four wheel drive can be good choice for all terrain drive. This modes capabilities, high traction and grip are just a few of the features that make four wheels drive a good choice.
Advantages of driving a vehicle with four-wheel drive include better traction, greater hauling and towing capabilities, and being able to handle snowy and icy driving conditions better. In some cases, drivers might simply feel more secure driving a vehicle that has four-wheel drive capabilities.
Increased traction on pavement and asphalt is one of main reasons drivers opt for vehicles with four-wheel drive. The wheels of the vehicle are better able to maintain a proper grip on the road during rain or snow, in mud and on gravel. Drivers who do a lot of towing and hauling may prefer the capabilities of a vehicle with four-wheel drive in order to keep the vehicle stable and increase the overall level of traction while towing.
While four-wheel drive is useful for navigating in areas with harsh winters, a majority of newer vehicles are made with automatic stability and traction control either as a standard option or one the driver can add on. Research has also shown that a vehicle with two-wheel drive and snow tires on all four wheels can perform better than a vehicle with four-wheel drive and regular tires. Unless a driver lives in or travels to an area with snowy and icy conditions, he is more than likely fine in a vehicle with two-wheel drive, and the same is true of drivers who don’t venture off road.
