Steering wheel-mounted controls allowing manual gear selection in cars with automatic or dual-clutch transmissions. Common in modern performance cars.
Paddle shifters are steering wheel-mounted controls (typically two paddles, one for upshifts and one for downshifts) that allow manual gear selection in cars with automatic or dual-clutch transmissions. The driver can use the paddles to override the automatic shift logic, requesting a specific gear on demand. Paddle shifters are increasingly common in modern performance cars and are now standard equipment in many sport-oriented vehicles.
Paddle shifter implementation varies. Most modern dual-clutch cars (Porsche PDK, BMW DCT, Ferrari, Lamborghini) provide responsive paddle operation with shift times in milliseconds. Traditional automatic transmissions have slower paddle response (tenths of seconds versus the tens of milliseconds of DCTs). Some cars allow full manual operation through paddles (the transmission won't shift unless commanded by the driver), while others have automatic protection (the transmission will shift to prevent over-revving even when the driver hasn't commanded it).
Paddle shifters are typically integrated with the steering wheel, so they move with the wheel during turning. Some performance cars have column-mounted paddles (fixed to the column rather than the wheel), which can be preferable in spirited driving where steering wheel angles change rapidly. Aftermarket paddle shifter conversions are available for some cars without factory paddles.