Q&A for How to Drive a Semi Automatic Car

Put it in neutral, that will disengage the clutch from the motor. And don't ever put it in park (P) when the car is moving, because that will lock the clutch and harm the gearbox.

You'd usually never hit the rev limit, since they also have a computer in the gearbox that automatically shifts up to the next gear. Even when you're in "manual" mode, it will usually shift if necessary to avoid excessively high or low revs.

A semi-automatic has gears but no manual clutch, so yes, you can drive it. You can drive anything as long as it has no clutch pedal, even where you have to physically change gear with the gear stick, paddles, etc.

A semi-automatic car doesn't require two legs, since there is no clutch pedal in them, you shift between gears by pushing the gear nob. So just like an automatic car, you use one leg for the gas and brake pedals and one hand (when necessary) to shift between gears.

Yes, driving a semiautomatic is the same as driving an automatic. You do not need to have a manual driving license in order to drive it.

Examine the transmission fluid level, or have it checked by a mechanic. Avoid using the manual mode in your semi-automatic car in this case to prevent poor engine performance or wear.

Yes, obviously you must wear a seatbelt in any car whether it is automatic, semi automatic or manual, whether you are driving or not. Seatbelts save lives!

The only difference is that in a semi-auto, you can do the shifting if you want.

You can switch to automatic while you are driving.

Sometimes, automatics hesitate under certain driving conditions, for instance, when slowing down for a junction, if you're driving along a hilly road, the gearbox may continue to cycle through the gears rather than sticking to one gear. By using the paddle shifter, you can allow the gearbox to behave in a more predictable manner, in this case, keep it in a gear that's low enough to climb the hilly road but high enough to keep the revs as low as possible.

Changing down the gears. Press it towards you once to change down. As some bonus trivia, in modern Ferraris, if you hold the left paddle while slowing down, it will automatically change down the gears providing the revs are below the red line.

Bulletproof is a metaphor used to describe the reliability of the gearbox and is not a type of gearbox. As such, the operations of these gearboxes will be exactly the same. For instance, a Lexus LS400 is described as having a bulletproof gearbox because it's very reliable. Chrysler gearboxes are often described as having non-bulletproof gearboxes because they're known to be problematic.