A Japanese neuroscience study has drawn fresh attention to an everyday activity many American drivers have largely abandoned: shifting gears in a manual transmission car. Researchers suggest that the coordinated actions required to drive a stick shift provide more stimulation to key brain areas than the simpler task of piloting an automatic.
Professor Ryuta Kawashima of Tohoku University’s Institute of Development, Aging, and Cancer led the neuroimaging research. Kawashima, widely known for developing the science behind Nintendo’s Brain Age puzzle games, has long studied ways to support cognitive function. According to reports on the work, operating a manual transmission activates the prefrontal cortex the brain region associated with short-term memory, attention, focus, and decision-making through constant multitasking.
“Driving an MT car activates the prefrontal cortex of the brain by requiring simultaneous clutch operation, gear shifting, accelerator control, and awareness of the surroundings,”
Kawashima explained in coverage of the study. He described the process as a low-grade daily “mental workout” that automatic transmissions largely bypass.
The study, first highlighted by Japanese outlet Best Car Web in mid-to-late June 2026, quickly spread through automotive sites including Carscoops and Road & Track. It builds on Kawashima’s broader research into brain imaging and cognitive training. Drivers must continuously monitor traffic, judge engine speed, select gears, and coordinate hand and foot movements actions that demand sustained attention and quick adjustments.
In the United States, where convenience and advanced driver-assistance systems dominate, manual transmissions have become rare. Data indicates that only about 0.7% of new vehicles sold in 2024 featured a manual, with roughly 24 models still offering the option in 2026. This contrasts with higher rates in parts of Europe, such as around 41% in Spain and 48% in Italy.
The story resonates with U.S. drivers nostalgic for more engaging drives and those concerned about cognitive health in an aging population. As vehicles grow more automated, everyday activities that once provided mental stimulation may diminish.
An older pilot study on manual transmissions and attention in adolescents with ADHD exists but requires further replication and is distinct from this work.
Practical realities also matter. Manuals can increase fatigue in heavy traffic and pose challenges for inexperienced drivers. Benefits may vary by individual and could lessen with habituation.
What this study shows is that a very interesting approach to cognitive stimulation during the era of increased automotive automation is the performance of highly practical tasks such as manually driving a car. While not a replacement for effective brain health practices such as exercise, socialization, rest, or mental stimulation, driving a manual car can be one of the ways to keep oneself cognitively stimulated, assuming that the person enjoys doing it.
In line with the ideas expressed by Professor Kawashima in his study, small decisions made regarding the use of technologies can play a role in how our brain functions. For Americans, a regular gear shift could turn out to be more than just another enjoyable activity.
