Why do we have to switch gears to go faster? Why weren’t cars originally made to automatically do that?
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You only need to change gear to increase the speed if the engine handles higher RPMs, the same is the case for automatic transmission cars the question is just how the gear changes.
The internal combustion engine has a limited RPM range the can work in and an even smaller one that they are efficient at so they can rotate too fast or too slow. The solution for a car that can drive at a large speed range is to have gears that change how fast the engine rotation relative to the wheel.
So if you are with the RPM range you can change speed by changing the amount of fuel you give to the engine but if you route it you need to change the rearing ratio.
The difference between an automatic and a manual gearbox is fundamentally how a gear change is initiated. A manual change is initiated and performed by a human moving a lever. In an automatic, it is most of the time because of a control system build on hydraulic.
An automatic gearbox is more complicated than a manual and historically there has been quite a large difference in cost. There has also been a difference in how many gears were common, automatic had fewer an the result is they were often less efficient.
How the gearbox is connected to the engine with a torque converter or a clutch is another difference in how is built.
The result was manual gearboxes were verrry common because of the cost and efficiency difference. Today both differences are quite small so it is primarily a question of what people are used to and what the prepared to use.
It is not the case that automatic transmission system are new, the first on car was made in 1904 and mass produce in 1939.
Electric cars do not need to change gears, a electric motor can operate in a lot larger RPM range. A major part is a work from 0 RPM. There are also Continuously variable transmissions that do not use gears but they are a lot less common
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