Eli5 Why do cars move at all when in drive without the accelerator being used. I’m not talking cruise control.
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To caveat, since a lot of folks are talking about *automatic* transmissions, a manual with a fair amount of torque will idle forward in first gear as well.
If the engine is engaged and putting power to the drive shaft(s), the idling still puts some power out which can slowly roll the car forward if it’s not braked, or the clutch isn’t in.
Because the engine is on and when you are in drive you are in gear, so the engine is connected to the transmission and drive shaft and thus will have power going to the wheels.
Think of it like skydiving if you skydive without a parachute you’re gonna go really fast and then you hit the ground and you stop and newtons laws say that objects in motion stays in motion you know unless something else messes with that ground messes with it but your body tries to stay in motion so it just splats but with a parachute you slowly go down where you can safely land
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