All the big companies presented on Monday, which left the much more sparsely attended Tuesday sessions to be held by the smaller players, ranging from transmission ventures and auto suppliers to this one, a presentation by an electric vehicle enterprise, Venturi, based in the tiny principality of Monte Carlo that is just now starting its first American venture.

FORBES: Written by Jim Motavalli

This is the third time in the past 10 years the auto makers have teamed up on transmission work.

WSJ: GM, Ford Team Up to Develop New Transmissions

Similarly, auto enthusiasts watch other drivers creep by in automatic transmission slush boxes and wonder why they even bother.

ENGADGET: This is the Modem World: Give me the keys, I'll drive!

The two biggest U.S. auto makers have agreed to jointly develop a nine-speed and a 10-speed automatic transmission for use in their portfolios of cars, crossovers, sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks.

WSJ: GM, Ford Team Up to Develop New Transmissions