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The world of the auto industry is a dynamic one. Innovations after innovation are being churned out by car manufacturers and parts supplier and are sent out to the market for the consumers to look into and perhaps even patronize. These innovations are of great help to consumers as they are given better products. Volvo for example has been giving the auto industry with safety features after safety features. The consumers are benefited since in the end, they will be the one using the technologies developed. Recently, a new innovation was unveiled at the Vienna Motor Symposium. The technological advancement came in the form of the eight-speed automatic transmission developed by ZF.

Dr. Michael Paul, the ZF Executive Vice-President for their Technology and Group Executive of the Car Driveline Technology Division, has this to say about the development of the eight-speed automatic transmission: Our main development target was to find a transmission concept which allows for significant additional fuel consumption reduction and thus offers tangible added value to our customers and drivers without making any compromises in terms of performance. He also pointed out that the number of gears was not given top priority in the development of the new transmission that seems to be completed at present time.

The technologically advanced gear box uses an innovative transmission technology and the use of which leads to the reduction of the fuel consumption of a vehicle equipped with the eight-speed transmission. Compared to vehicles equipped with the second-generation ZF six-speed automatic transmission, the new one can reduce fuel consumption by as much as six percent. While that figure may seem a bit low, a vehicle in service for a long time can surely take advantage of the fuel consumption reduction capability of the new transmission.