en.Wedoany.com Reported - Toyota Motor Corporation is developing a simulated manual transmission system for electric vehicles, equipped with a clutch pedal and gear shift lever.

A newly published patent reveals that Toyota and Lexus are still working on a simulated manual transmission system for EVs. The system includes a clutch pedal and gear shift lever, and can adjust based on the driver's skill level, making operation more difficult for experienced drivers, while improper handling could cause the vehicle to stall.

Although electric vehicles have no internal combustion engine to stall and no actual transmission to use, according to the new patent, Toyota's design will realistically recreate the driving experience of a manual transmission. Selecting the wrong gear or improperly operating the clutch could cause the vehicle to respond by cutting motor torque and coming to a stop.

Toyota has been experimenting with simulated manual shift systems for years. As early as 2022, a prototype version appeared in the Lexus UX300e, pairing a clutch pedal and gear shift lever with synthetic engine sounds, aiming to make EVs feel closer to traditional performance cars.

The latest patent, discovered by Carbuzz, shows the company has not abandoned this concept. According to the patent application, software will calculate virtual engine speed and determine whether the selected gear is reasonable. If the "RPM" is too low when starting, the virtual engine will stall.

Toyota may also have the system evaluate the driver's ability. The patent describes a technology that assesses the driver's proficiency with a manual transmission and adjusts assistance accordingly. Novices may automatically receive hill-start assist, while more confident drivers can operate on their own. The system also includes a launch control function, allowing drivers to abruptly release the simulated clutch for more aggressive starts.

Yasuyuki Terada, Assistant Chief Engineer at Lexus, told Australian media Drive that some regulatory issues in certain countries remain unresolved, hindering the plan. For example, in the UK and Japan, drivers who obtained their license through an automatic transmission test are not allowed to drive manual vehicles—so can they drive a simulated manual vehicle?

Terada noted: "If we offer this system, and you can turn it on or off, then what type of license does this vehicle correspond to?"

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