Can anyone provide a quick summary?

I was reading up on transmission, and learned that Honda is the only major manufacture that does not use the "traditional" planetary gear system.

Back in the 70s, Honda refuse to pay the patents already set by major manufactures such as Borg Warner. So Honda invented it's own Hondamatic.

We can say they try to be innovative, but why reinvent the wheel? Is Honda's design "better" in anyway? Or simply to avoid paying the patents?

Honda is legendary for it's engines, but no one care much for it's (auto) transmission. Maybe that's why there were problems? Maybe that's why a Honda automatic transmission don't shift as smoothly as a Toyota or Chevrolet.

Educate me.

 

i think they all suck, honda know for its nice feeling and gear manuals boxes

 

Haven't heard this, but am interested in the topic now.

Plain and simple though, Honda auto boxes blow. They're manual transmissions (hydro B-series and F-series S2000) are 2nd to none in terms of feel.

 

Honda's earliest automatic transmissions flat out sucked from an ease of use perspective. The "Hondamatic" was actually a semi-automatic, you had to shift them manually but there was no clutch. Essentially all the work of a manual without the fun and fuel economy. It wasn't until '88 that you could get a civic with a real automatic.