Porsche has filed a patent for a dual-clutch automatic transmission that can imitate the operation of a manual gearbox. The system combines automatic driving, sequential shifting, and a clutch-operated manual mode in one setup, and Porsche says it could be used in combustion-powered or hybrid vehicles.

The filing, identified as DE102025109563A1, was uncovered by CarBuzz through the European Patent Office. It expands on an earlier Porsche patent for a shift-by-wire gear selector that could function either as a conventional automatic shifter or as a manual-style selector.

Three transmission configurations

In its first configuration, the patented system works like a typical automatic transmission. The driver selects Drive, Reverse, or Neutral, then controls the car with the accelerator. The gearbox handles gear changes without requiring additional input.

The second configuration enables sequential shifting. Drivers can select the next gear up or down using paddle shifters or the gear lever, a setup already familiar from many dual-clutch transmissions.

The most distinctive mode is the third. Here, the system adds a clutch pedal and changes the behavior of the selector to recreate a manual transmission. Porsche describes a multi-stable gear selector that uses shift patterns intended to feel like a traditional manual gearbox, replacing the normal monostable automatic selector.

Software would shape the driving experience

The patent points to software as the key to making the dual-clutch transmission behave differently in each mode. The hardware could retain the convenience of an automatic while giving drivers more direct control when they want it.

Porsche’s filing does not indicate that the system is approved for production or identify a specific vehicle that will use it. It does, however, describe a way to preserve manual-style interaction without requiring a separate conventional manual transmission. The ability to support hybrid vehicles also gives the concept broader application than a system limited to combustion-only models.

Other automakers are exploring similar ideas

Porsche would not be the first automaker to simulate a manual gearbox with software and automated hardware. Koenigsegg’s Light Speed Transmission and Engage Shift System offer both a nine-speed automatic configuration and a six-speed manual-style setup.

Ferrari’s 12Cilindri Manuale uses a related approach. Its driver can shift through the first six gears of an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, while poor clutch and shift execution can trigger jolts, bucking, or even a stall.

Hyundai also has a patent for a shift-by-wire system that could eventually appear in future electric vehicles. Together, these developments show how automakers are looking for ways to retain the involvement associated with manual transmissions as conventional manuals become less common in new cars.