A new study from Japan suggests that driving a manual transmission car may offer cognitive benefits that automatics cannot replicate.
The research comes from Professor Ryuta Kawashima of Tohoku University, the neuroscientist behind Nintendo's Brain Age series.
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According to a report by Best Car Web, the study found that the physical sequence of operating a manual gearbox lights up the prefrontal cortex, the brain region responsible for memory, attention, and decision-making.
Coordinating tasks like reading traffic speed, depressing the clutch, selecting a gear, and metering the throttle demands a level of engagement that holds the driver's attention continuously.
In a rapidly aging country like Japan, this daily mental workout may help preserve cognitive function in a way that passive driving in an automatic or semi-autonomous vehicle cannot match.
Manual Transmissions Are Dying Out
Despite the potential benefits, manual transmissions are increasingly rare. In Japan, they account for just 1% to 2% of new car sales.
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The remaining holdouts are mostly entry-level kei vans and trucks, such as the Honda N-Van, Daihatsu Hijet, and Suzuki Carry and Every, which still offer a manual gearbox with a 660cc three-cylinder engine.
Mainstream models like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic now come exclusively with CVTs due to hybrid powertrains, with only hot-hatch versions retaining a manual option.
Even the new Honda Prelude, a coupe with a sporting heritage, arrives automatic-only and uses simulated gear changes to mimic engagement.
Kei cars represent the last line of defense for the manual transmission in Japan.
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If automakers continue to offer them with three pedals, the country may preserve a driving experience that the rest of the industry has been phasing out.
