The growing trend towards automation hasn’t just stayed at cars. Multiple industries are using smart technologies to reduce costs and drive business efficiency.
Automatic trucks have come a long way from being seen as simply an easier alternative to a manual gearbox. For South African fleet owners, transmission choice can affect fuel use, driver comfort, maintenance, downtime and the overall cost of keeping vehicles on the road.
And those costs matter more than ever.
Statistics South Africa reported that freight payload increased by 7.6% year-on-year in April 2026, while seasonally adjusted road-freight volumes grew by 4.7% over the preceding three months. Statistics South Africa With more goods moving across the country's roads, fleet efficiency remains an important consideration for transport businesses.
So, should your next truck be manual, automatic or AMT?
The answer depends on far more than whether your drivers want a clutch pedal.
An automated manual transmission, commonly called an AMT, uses the mechanical structure of a manual gearbox but automates clutch operation and gear selection.
The driver therefore does not need to operate the clutch and manually change gears during normal driving.
Modern systems can take information such as vehicle speed, load, engine demand and operating conditions into account when selecting gears.
UD Trucks' current Quester range, for example, uses an automated manual transmission designed to optimise gear selection while reducing clutch operation, driver fatigue and fluctuations in fuel use.
That distinction matters because an AMT isn't simply a conventional passenger-car automatic placed into a truck. It is technology specifically designed around commercial-vehicle operating requirements.
Potentially, yes – but there is no single percentage that will apply to every business.
Fuel consumption depends on factors including:
Where automated transmission can help is consistency.
Even skilled drivers can change gears differently. An automated system applies programmed gear-selection logic repeatedly, which can reduce some of the variation caused by driving style.
That becomes particularly relevant when fuel represents a significant portion of fleet expenditure. At the Road Freight Association's 2026 convention, industry representatives indicated that diesel can account for more than 40% of operating costs for many operators.
For fleet owners, however, the best test isn't a manufacturer's headline fuel figure.
Compare actual litres per 100 km across similar vehicles, routes, loads and drivers over time.
Fuel usually receives the most attention because it is one of the easiest operating costs to see.
But transmission choice can also influence maintenance and downtime.
A manually operated clutch is affected partly by driver technique. Repeated heavy clutch use, poor gear selection or constant stop-start driving can contribute to wear.
AMTs automate much of this process, potentially reducing some driver-related variation.
That doesn't mean an automatic truck is maintenance-free. Modern transmissions contain sophisticated mechanical and electronic systems and may require specialist diagnostics or repairs.
Fleet managers should therefore look at total cost of ownership, including:
The cheapest truck to buy may not be the cheapest truck to operate.
Anyone who has spent hours driving a heavy vehicle through stop-start traffic knows how repetitive clutch and gear operation can become.
Automating those tasks can reduce some of the driver's physical workload.
That doesn't make the driver less important.
Drivers still need to manage vehicle position, braking, road hazards, load behaviour, weather and changing traffic conditions. What automation can do is remove one repetitive task from an already demanding working environment.
That may be especially valuable for urban distribution, regional routes and operations involving frequent stops.
One of the mistakes fleet owners should avoid is assuming an automatic truck needs little or no training.
Different trucks have different transmission modes, braking systems, load characteristics and operating limits.
Drivers need to understand how their vehicle responds:
• on steep gradients;
• when carrying heavy loads;
• during overtaking;
• when manoeuvring;
• on slippery surfaces; and
• under engine or auxiliary braking.
Automation can make a truck easier to operate consistently. It does not replace proper professional driver training.
Newer technology isn't automatically the right technology for every operation.
Manual trucks may still suit businesses where drivers are highly experienced, the application requires greater manual control, servicing support favours simpler mechanical systems or the acquisition cost of an AMT cannot be justified by likely operational savings.
The important question isn't:
“Which transmission is better?”
It is:
“Which transmission performs better in our operation?”
That means evaluating real routes, loads, drivers and costs rather than making the decision on technology alone.
Fleet owners considering a major switch can start with a controlled trial.
Place a small number of automated trucks onto representative routes and measure them against comparable manual vehicles.
Track:
Telematics can make these comparisons considerably more useful by allowing managers to compare vehicles and driver behaviour using actual operational data.
A six- or twelve-month fleet trial can tell you far more about your business case than a specification sheet alone.
Transmission technology may improve certain areas of efficiency, but it cannot remove the risks involved in running heavy commercial vehicles.
Accidents, theft, hijacking, damage and unexpected downtime can still disrupt deliveries and affect revenue.
That is where truck insurance should form part of the broader fleet strategy.
Miway offers truck insurance for commercial operators covering heavy commercial vehicles, with options including towing and recovery, roadside assistance and cross-border cover, subject to the policy selected and its terms.
Businesses operating several vehicles can also consider business vehicles and fleet insurance as part of their wider business insurance planning.
The important point is that improved vehicle technology and insurance address different risks. One helps you manage how the fleet operates; the other helps protect the business when an insured event happens.
Insuring the vehicle does not necessarily mean the stock or customers' goods being transported are covered.
If your trucks regularly transport stock, raw materials or customer goods, consider whether Goods in Transit insurance is also appropriate.
Miway's Goods in Transit cover is designed around goods transported by road and can be added alongside other elements of business insurance, subject to the chosen policy and terms.
That creates a more complete risk-management approach: protect the truck, understand the load and consider the financial consequences if either is interrupted.
There isn't one answer for every transport operation.
Automated manual transmissions can provide more consistent gear selection, reduce repeated clutch work and make trucks easier to operate across a wider group of trained drivers.
Manual transmissions may still make operational and financial sense for certain routes, applications and fleets.
Before choosing, compare your:
routes, loads, drivers, fuel data, maintenance history, downtime and total cost of ownership.
Then consider how the vehicle fits into your wider risk-management and truck insurance strategy.
Technology keeps moving forward. The best fleet decisions are the ones where the numbers move forward with it.
Your trucks don't simply move goods. They support customers, revenue and the day-to-day operation of your business.
Review your vehicles, routes and risks together, and make sure the protection around your fleet keeps pace with changes in your operation.
Get a Miway Business Insurance quote or review Miway's truck and fleet cover to find a solution that matches the way your business operates.
