car questions

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Bygvir Melkerson - 11 May 2007 15:44 GMT

Hi,

I have two questions which my dictionaries don't answer me concerning
a car:

1. The device in a car which controls the velocity, so the driver
don't has to use the accelerator pedal, how do you call it (in German
its a Tempomat).

2. The device which changes the gear automatically if you have an
automatic car, how do you call this? Automatic gears or automatic
gearbox or anything other?

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Blue Sow - 11 May 2007 16:29 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> don't has to use the accelerator pedal, how do you call it (in German
> its a Tempomat).

Cruise control.

> 2. The device which changes the gear automatically if you have an
> automatic car, how do you call this? Automatic gears or automatic
> gearbox or anything other?

Automatic gearbox.
An automatic.

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Blue Sow

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Tony Mountifield - 11 May 2007 22:54 GMT

> > 2. The device which changes the gear automatically if you have an
> > automatic car, how do you call this? Automatic gears or automatic
> > gearbox or anything other?
>
> Automatic gearbox.
> An automatic.

Sometimes called "automatic transmission".

Cheers
Tony

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Tony Mountifield
Work: tony@softins.co.uk - http://www.softins.co.uk
Play: tony@mountifield.org - http://tony.mountifield.org

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John Briggs - 12 May 2007 00:49 GMT

>>> 2. The device which changes the gear automatically if you have an
>>> automatic car, how do you call this? Automatic gears or automatic
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Sometimes called "automatic transmission".

Although that is more of an American usage - they use "transmission" to mean
gearbox, whereas we would employ it for the whole drivetrain.

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John Briggs

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Discussion Groups / British English / May 2007

car questions