How Do Paddle Shifters Work, And Why Do Only Some Cars Have Them?

Paddle shifters, also known as a flappy-paddle gearbox, are a mechanism used to control and select gears on a vehicle's transmission. The paddle shifters are positioned behind the steering wheel, designated by a "+" or "-" symbol to represent whether an individual paddle is used to shift up or down. To use a paddle shifter, the driver pulls or flicks the paddle towards them to change gear. Paddle shifters offer enhanced precision to maximize a vehicle's acceleration and performance while providing greater convenience and control for the driver.

Paddle shifters were born and developed in Formula One racing during the 1980s. The first production road car to offer a paddle shift transmission was the 1997 Ferrari 355. When it debuted, the "F1-style" paddle shift transmission was a $19,000 option on the Ferrari 355 Berlinetta, GTS, and Spider. Since then, paddle shift technology has trickled down from F1 race cars and production supercars to regular commuter vehicles like the Toyota Camry, Ram 1500 pickup truck, and the new 2025 Mazda CX-90 SUV.

The main benefit of using paddle shifters is the ability to change gears while keeping both hands on the steering wheel while driving. Formula One racing developed the technology to provide racing drivers with better control at high speed by keeping both hands firmly on the wheel while downshifting or upshifting around the track. Moreover, paddle shifters can change gear quicker than common manual transmissions because the driver does not need to operate a gear lever and clutch pedal.

Three types of transmissions can be operated using paddle shifters. Automated manual transmissions (AMT) operate like a regular automatic, with the option to select gears using paddle shifters or the automatic gear lever without the need for a clutch pedal. This style is commonly seen in vehicles like the Ford Mustang EcoBoost 4-cylinder muscle car, Honda Civic, or Lamborghini Aventador, which allow the driver to select gears or drive it like a traditional automatic.

Paddle-shift-driven manual transmissions are typically reserved for purpose-built race cars. These transmissions use a clutch pedal to set off or come to a stop, and replace a manually operated H-pattern shifter or sequential gear lever with paddle shifters. Lastly, vehicles with automatic transmissions and continuously variable transmissions (CVT) can also feature paddle shifters for drivers who want more control. However, CVTs don't actually have gears, so it's more like a simulation of shifting.

Modern vehicles have come a long way from the old days of a 3-speed automatic with overdrive. Modern vehicles have come a long way from the old days of a 3-speed automatic with overdrive. For example, in 2013, Ford and Chevrolet announced a joint venture to develop a 10-speed automatic transmission, which debuted in the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor and Chevy Camaro ZL1, respectively. Moreover, the Mercedes-Benz 9G-Tronic 9-speed automatic transmission, first introduced in 2013, has become the standard gearbox in many MB models, like the 2025 C-Class. So, if an automatic transmission car does not have paddle shifters, it'll usually provide the option to manage gears using a "manual" or "sport" drive mode. Typically, this option can be selected by moving the center console-mounted gear lever to one side, designed by either the letter "M" or the "+" and "-" symbols. Once engaged, the driver can flick the lever up or down to select a gear while driving.

The unintentional victim of the growing popularity of paddle shifters is the traditional manual "stick shift" transmission. The selection of new cars that offer manual transmissions to buyers who prefer to row their gears gets smaller every year. Yet, thankfully, the option for a manual transmission can still be found in sports cars, sedans, mid-size pickup trucks, and off-road-focused SUVs in the 2024 and 2025 model years.