BMW has achieved a groundbreaking milestone: its newest vehicles now leave the factory fully prepared for automated driving.

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Manual transmissions are increasingly rare, but the models that still offer them are some of the best driver’s cars available ...

Partially automated driving systems -- such as adaptive cruise control and technologies that keep a car in its lane or automate lane changes -- are increasingly common in new vehicle models.

In our tests, we've found that in some cars a manual transmission can improve gas mileage by a significant 2 to 5 mpg, compared with an automatic, and can cut a car's price by $800 to $1,200.

The automated system will guide all the driving operations. Drivers can detach their hands from the steering wheel and operate the car's navigation system or check their smartphones but must be ...