In a manual transmission, what does the driver use to change gears?

In a manual transmission, the driver uses a gear stick to change gears.

The gear stick is a lever connected to the transmission’s selector mechanism through mechanical linkages or cables. Moving it into a position selects a gear ratio; the driver normally presses the clutch pedal first so engine torque is temporarily removed from the drivetrain. After the shift, releasing the clutch reconnects power through the newly selected ratio.

A gear stick may be mounted on the floor, center console, or steering column. Older vehicles with a column-mounted three-speed shifter were popularly described in the United States as having “three on the tree,” while floor-mounted shifters inspired “four on the floor.” The knob on top is the gear knob, but the complete control is the gear stick, gear lever, gearshift, or shifter.

Automatic vehicles also have a lever, but it is more accurately called a gear selector because the transmission changes ratios by itself. A button may release a selector lock or activate a special mode, but it is not the primary device for manually selecting gears in a conventional manual car.