Appearance
* Automatic: Most often has a traditional gear lever located on the center console.
* DSG: Typically has a joystick-like gear selector located on the center tunnel.
Gear selector
* Automatic: Gear shifting is carried out using a mechanical lever that moves to different positions (P, R, N, D, L, etc.).
* DSG: The gear selector is usually electronically controlled and allows you to switch between D (drive), S (sport) and M (manual) modes.
Parking position
* Automatic: Typically has a separate park (P) position that locks the transmission.
* DSG: Usually does not have a separate parking position. Instead, the transmission is locked in P when the engine is turned off or the park button is pressed.
Neutral position
* Automatic: Has a neutral position (N), in which the transmission is not engaged.
* DSG: Usually does not have a separate neutral position. Instead, it automatically shifts into neutral when the car comes to a stop.
Shifting gears
* Automatic: Gear shifting is carried out using a torque converter, which transfers power from the engine to the transmission.
* DSG: Gear shifting is accomplished using two clutches that alternately transfer power from the engine to the transmission. Gear changes are much faster and smoother than traditional automatics.
Operating modes
* Automatic: Typically has driving modes such as Eco, Normal and Sport.
*DSG: Usually also has different driving modes such as Eco, Normal, Sport and Manual.