Lets talk automatic transmissions: To creep or not to creep?

[Marty_Deslions]

(2020-10-15 12:17)Chuck Wrote:  Whenever you have to make small, precise movements, the creep function comes in very handy. E.g. when parking or picking up a trailer. Being able to more smoothly, and only few cm is valuable. It's also a lot less hassle if you don't have to switch the pedals all the time,one time to start the movement and then to stop the movement.

I didn't study the history but I think the creep function is actually a waste product of automatic transmissions. The clutch of an automatic transmission will always settle at the bite point, which means that it grinds permanently and therefore always applies a bit of torque. Thus, light vehicles tend to roll, heavy ones, trucks, buses etc, will not.
I'm not sure if this still applies to "modern" cars, and for the electric ones it's simulated anyway, but either way, I don't wanna miss it.

Traditional automatic use a torque converter instead of a clutch. This is what makes it so smooth. Its not a direct drive (although some have a lockup function in higher gears), but a fluid coupling. The engine runs, and the fluid also moves abit, pushing the other end of the converter, which makes that creep movement.

Modern automatics like DSG actually use 2 clutches which emulate that traditional creeping. Maybe its just because people expect that from an automatic.

But yeah for precise manouvering creeping could be very useful.